Former NFF president and CAF Executive member Amaju Pinnick says he is ‘saddened’ by the political issues between Algeria and Morocco and the occurrences at CHAN 2022 tournament.
Both countries are in crisis for years ago, but what was exclusively political has now been brought to sports especially football.
The issue even prevented Morocco from taking part into CHAN 2022 tournament as Algeria refused Moroccan planes to fly over it land.
Fans also entered the debate and some racist chants against Morocco have been heard during the African Nations Championship opening ceremony last week in Algiers.
Rabat condemned the attack now Confederation of African Football is set to investigate on the events.
Read more : Mozambique earn first-ever CHAN win, knock out Libya
Pending the investigation, one of its Executive members, Amaju Pinnick expressed his sadness and called for politic not to interfere in football.
Amaju Pinnick statement below
As a member of the world football family and stakeholder in African football, I am concerned that Morocco, the defending champion of the African Nations Championship, CHAN, was hindered from participating in the 2023 edition of the tournament holding in Algeria.
While not interfering in any political issues that may exist between both countries, we must be reminded that football promotes world unity and peace and all member countries of FIFA and indeed nations which bid to host events should accordingly be willing and ready to act with the same understanding.
As has been repeatedly admonished by FIFA and most recently by President Gianni Infantino and Secretary Fatma Samoura at the just concluded FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, we must focus on football and not drag the game into every ideological or political differences that may exist between nations.
I am therefore saddened by these occurrences at the African Nations Championship, a very important tournament in the calendar of African football for the development of home based players.
I believe that the leadership of CAF and FIFA would apply necessary measures as captured in the relevant articles in the FIFA Statutes to serve as deterrence against future occurrence and to preserve the beautiful game.
Amaju Melvin Pinnick Member, FIFA Council and CAF Executive Committee