Imbroglio, this Monday, October 14, in the middle of the 45th edition of the African Championship of handball champion clubs (men and women), hosted in Laâyoune from October 10 to 19. The Tunisian Handball Federation has ordered the Sahel Women’s Association to withdraw from the competition. No explanation was provided to the club to justify this decision, while the Tunisians were on a good series of three victories against teams representing Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Angola.
Officials from the African Handball Confederation (CAHB) intervened to persuade their counterparts from the Tunisian Federation to reverse their decision, recalling in particular the sanctions which risk hitting the sporting body and other Tunisian teams in the event of withdrawal of the competition, organized by the CAHB in Laâyoune.
Faced with the threat, the Tunisian side asked for time to consult the authorities of its country. After a few hours of waiting, the verdict was in: The players of the Sahel Women’s Association are authorized to continue the competition.
The Tunisian team has been in Laâyoune for five days. A presence which did not arouse hostile reactions in the country of President Kaïs Saïed. The official press agency even welcomed, in a dispatch, the qualification of players from the Sahel “for the second round of the African Championship of champion handball clubs (female), organized in Morocco from October 10 to 19” .
The sports competition continues in Laâyoune, with the participation of clubs from Nigeria, Angola and Ethiopia, countries recognizing the “SADR”.