Sports

Algerian Handball Team Boycotts Arab Championship over Morocco’s Jerseys

Published

1 week ago

April 24, 2024

Algeria's U17 handball team

The Algerian U-17 national handball team has withdrawn from the Arab Championship in protest at the Moroccan team wearing a jersey featuring a full map of Morocco.

The news comes as Algeria’s hostility towards Morocco appears to be taking a new turn, with the country increasingly resorting to the politicization of sport to settle political scores after suffering setbacks on the diplomatic front.

Ahead of a CAF Confederation match in Algeria last week, the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) confiscated CAF-approved jerseys worn by Moroccan club RS Berkane because they featured the undivided map of Morocco.

On Tuesday, the Algerian and Moroccan national teams were scheduled to compete on the third day of the under-17 Arab Championship.

However, the Algerian team’s absence left the Moroccan side without opponents.

Earlier in the day, Karima Taleb, the president of the Algerian Handball Federation, told the news website Ennahar Online that the team would boycott the match “if officials of the opposing team decide to play with a jersey bearing their fake map.”

In recent years, Algeria has consistently used sporting events to push for its political agenda and undermine the notable diplomatic breakthroughs Morocco has achieved on the Western Sahara question.

While hosting the African Nations Championship (CHAN) last year, the Algerian regime took its obsessive Morocco-bashing to the next level.

After denying the Moroccan team the right to participate in the continental tournament and defend their title, the Algerian authorities added insult to injury by turning the tournament’s opening ceremony into a political platform to broadcast support for the Polisario Front, the Algiers-backed separatist group seeking independence in southern Morocco.

SPECIAL REPORT

Gara Gombe’s firm firms agreement to upgrade Gombe University’s facilities

Published

2 months ago

March 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Gara Gombe’s firm firms agreement to upgrade Gombe University’s facilities

Green White Green (GWG) Sports Center Nigeria Limited, a company run by former Gombe State Football Association chairman, Gara Gombe has signed an understanding with the Gombe State University to upgrade the institution’s sports facilities.

According to Gara Gombe, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed last week Wednesday. The aim is to provide and also upgrade existing facilities for the benefit of young sport stars in Gombe State.

The MOU was jointly signed by the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. El Nafaty and Gara Gombe.

Prof. El Nafaty noted that Gombe State University has now become dependable partner with the Green White Green Sports Center for the upgrading of sporting facilities over six months ago.

He reiterated there should be enough liaison engagement between the two parties with the aim of enhancing sports in the university especially the track and field which is rare in Nigerian universities.

Gara Gombe who is also the Gombe State Athletics Association chairman, remarked that more sports facilities in Gombe are urgently needed considering that there is just one stadium in the state locates in Pantami.

“This is grossly inadequate.” He therefore called for concerted efforts to create alternative playing grounds for the development of all sporting talents.

SPECIAL REPORT

Gara Gombe’s firm firms agreement to upgrade Gombe University’s facilities –

Published

2 months ago

March 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

The MOU was jointly signed by the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. El Nafaty and Gara Gombe.

Prof. El Nafaty noted that Gombe State University has now become dependable partner with the Green White Green Sports Center for the upgrading of sporting facilities over six months ago.

“This is grossly inadequate.” He therefore called for concerted efforts to create alternative playing grounds for the development of all sporting talents.