Algerian Youth Handball Team Withdraws from Match Against Morocco Over Map Dispute

The Algerian national youth handball team withdrew from a match against Morocco at the Arab Championship on April 24, 2024, due to a dispute over the Moroccan team's jerseys featuring a map of the Kingdom of Morocco that includes the disputed Western Sahara territory. The Algerian Handball Federation president stated that the team would boycott the match if the opposing team wore jerseys with what he called the "fake map" of Morocco.

This incident marks the latest in a series of sports-related disputes between the two North African nations. Just three days prior, a match between Morocco's Nahda Berkane and USM Alger in Algiers was cancelled after Algerian authorities refused to allow the Moroccan team to wear its traditional shirt with the full map of Morocco. In January, Algerian customs officials confiscated the jerseys of the Moroccan football club RS Berkane for the same reason.

Why this matters: The ongoing tensions between Algeria and Morocco over the Western Sahara dispute have increasingly spilled over into the sports arena. These incidents highlight the deep-rooted political and diplomatic differences that continue to strain relations between the two neighboring countries.

The Moroccan team waited on the pitch for 15 minutes after the scheduled start time, after which the match referee declared them the victors by forfeit. "The Algerian regime has been accused of politicizing sports to serve a Polisario thesis on the demise of Morocco's territorial sovereignty," according to one of the summaries of the incident.

The African football federation had previously judged the withholding of the Moroccan team's jerseys as an unlawful act that would trigger sanctions against Algeria's football federation. The incidents have highlighted Algeria's hostility towards Morocco's territorial integrity, leading to the country's self-isolation and the potential for severe sanctions on Algerian sports clubs.

Key Takeaways

• Algerian handball team boycotted match vs Morocco over jersey map dispute
• Tensions between Algeria and Morocco spill over into sports arena
• Moroccan team awarded victory by forfeit after Algerians refused to play
• Algeria accused of politicizing sports to undermine Morocco's sovereignty
• Incidents could lead to sanctions against Algerian sports clubs