Football, a field destined to unite borders, has once again become the stage for an ideological conflict. This time, the epicenter is located in Casablanca, where Raja’s Algerian winger Yousri Bouzok is said to have refused to play against AS FAR in a historic CAF Champions League clash. The reason? The comprehensive map of Morocco featured on the Greens’ shirt for this competition, which represents the Kingdom within its legitimate borders, including its Sahara.
However, throughout the day, rumors about Bouzok’s presence or absence for the clash between Raja Casablanca and AS FAR in the CAF Champions League sparked debate. Accused of refusing to play due to the comprehensive map of Morocco on Raja’s shirt, the Algerian striker finally broke his silence through club president Adil Hala.
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A categorical denial and clarification
In a statement to Mars Radio, Adil Hala tried to put an end to the speculation. He confirmed that a meeting was held with Bouzok in the morning, during which the player firmly denied the allegations made against him. “I’m a professional player and I respect all the club’s decisions,” the Algerian winger was quoted as saying, thus refuting any link between his potential absence and the political issues surrounding the shirt.
Adil Hala also announced a surprising decision: for the game against AS FAR, the team will not wear the shirt displaying the comprehensive map of Morocco. The Greens will play in a more classic outfit, with only the Moroccan national flag, used during the preliminary stages.
A strategy to ease tensions?
This choice, which may seem trivial, can, however, be interpreted as an attempt to avoid further controversy. The Raja’s communication, however, left some ambiguity. Indeed, a video posted the previous day on the club’s official social media channels showed the new “premium” shirt, emblazoned with the comprehensive map of Morocco, accompanied by the slogan: “Our official shirt for CAF Champions League glory.” This discrepancy between the official announcement and the media promotion of the shirt raises questions.
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This case illustrates the latent tensions involving relations between the two countries and the frequent exploitation of sport for political purposes. Although Bouzok’s denial appears to close the chapter on the allegations, the immense interest generated by this controversy shows that the topic remains sensitive.
For Raja, the challenge now is to focus on the pitch and extinguish any controversy that could harm their Champions League campaign. As for Yousri Bouzok, his stated commitment to the club could allow him to quickly turn the page, provided this clarification is accepted by all parties.
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This situation, far from being unprecedented, is reminiscent of similar cases that occurred last season with Algerian players competing in Botola INWI. At that time, some also refused to wear shirts with a map of Morocco, succumbing to the pressure of the tense political climate between the two countries.
This case is reminiscent of the incident that rocked CAF last season, when Union Sportive de la Médina d’Alger (USMA) refused to play a semi-final against Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RSB). Once again, the cause was the Berkanis’ shirt, which featured the comprehensive map of Morocco.
Currently, if Raja chose to maintain his position, he reinforces the message already conveyed by CAF: national symbols should not be used as a pretext to politicize sporting competitions. However, the extremists on the side persist in instrumentalizing sport to prolong an anachronistic hostility, fueled by official Algerian rhetoric far from sporting values.
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