Morocco Escape CAF Ban over CHAN No-show

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will not sanction Morocco for their no-show at this year’s Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) in Algeria.

In a statement yesterday, CAF said its disciplinary board had found the North Africans failed to participate in the tournament, “due to circumstances totally beyond their control, and as such no sanction of whatsoever nature is imposed on the Royal Moroccan Federation.”

CHAN is a tournament exclusive to players playing in their national domestic leagues.

Morocco withdrew on the eve of the competition after being denied permission 

to fly into Algeria from their capital Rabat, using the country’s national carrier Royal Air Maroc, as a political spat spilled over into football.

The two neighbouring countries have been embroiled in a diplomatic row and in 2021 Algeria severed ties with Morocco, a move which included suspending direct flights in both directions.

CAF has reiterated a warning that politics must be kept out of its events in future.