AFCON
A Morning in the Medina: Marrakech After the Roar
By Kunle Solaja, Marrakech, enroute Casablanca.
The morning after Nigeria’s emphatic 2–0 dismissal of Algeria still hummed in my ears as the delegation of fellow journalists from across the world who are guests of the Moroccan National Association of Media and Publishers (ANME) was set to depart the famous red brick city.
We were bound for Casablanca, but a detour was suggested as a visit to Marrakech is deemed incomplete without going to the Medina, the local market.
The joy of the victory over Algeria was still visible on my face as everyone continued to congratulate me as if I orchestrated the Nigerian success. Anyway, victory has a way of sharpening the senses, and in Marrakech it felt as if the city itself was leaning in, eager to perform.
Before the road north beckoned, we slipped into the medina—an ancient heart that beats to a rhythm older than football and louder than any stadium.
The approach alone was an overture. Narrow alleys tightened like a funnel, then suddenly loosened into a living square where sound, colour and movement collided. Drums rattled, flutes sang, hawkers called, and somewhere beneath it all the city breathed—dusty, spicy, human. The medina is not visited; it is entered, and once inside, it takes charge.
We had planned to spend just 20 minutes. We did not realise we had spent over two hours before some of us started yelling ‘Yalla Yalla’, the Moroccan way of saying “let’s go!”
At the centre of the spectacle were the snake charmers. Cross-legged on worn rugs, they coaxed cobras from wicker baskets with a musician’s patience.
The snakes rose and swayed, glossy and alert, their movements choreographed to the reedy insistence of a traditional wind instrument made from a dried gourd.
A small ring of spectators formed and dissolved, coins clinked, cameras clicked, and the charmers’ eyes never left their serpents. It was ritual as much as performance, ancient theatre replayed for a modern audience.
Not far away, domesticated monkeys—tiny, nimble and eerily obedient are perched on shoulders or scamper across the stones at a tug of a string or a murmured command. Their owners guided them with practised ease, turning simple gestures into applause-worthy tricks.
Children laughed, adults smiled, and the monkeys bowed, as if they understood their role in the city’s daily drama.
Beyond the performers, the market revealed its careful order. The medina may feel chaotic, but it is meticulously segmented. One turn led into the spice souk, where pyramids of turmeric, paprika, cumin and saffron glowed like powdered sunsets.
The air was warm with pepper and clove, and vendors scooped, weighed and bargained with theatrical flair. Another alley opened into the leather quarter—rows of slippers, bags and belts in every shade imaginable, the scent unmistakable and earthy.
Further on, metalworkers hammered brass into lanterns and trays, sparks flashing as patterns bloomed under their hands. Carpets followed—thick, handwoven stories stacked floor to ceiling—then pottery, woodwork, jewellery, herbs, oils, and traditional garments, each craft claiming its own territory.
This is what the Marrakech medina is mainly known for: its souks—dense, specialised marketplaces where centuries-old crafts are still practised daily; its performers and storytellers who animate public squares; and its ability to compress Morocco’s cultural, commercial and artistic life into a walkable maze.
It is a living museum without walls, commerce without clocks, tradition without apology.
As we finally pulled away, heading for Casablanca, the noise softened behind us but the impressions lingered.
The Super Eagles’ triumph had given the journey a celebratory glow, yet the medina added something deeper, a reminder that travel, like football, is about immersion. You arrive with expectations, but you leave with stories, and Marrakech, generous as ever, had offered us many.
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AFCON
Morocco Rejects Claims of Delay, Defends Legal Process in Case Involving Senegalese Supporters
Morocco’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has firmly rejected allegations of unjustified delays and poor detention conditions in the ongoing case involving Senegalese football supporters arrested after unrest linked to a recent continental fixture in Rabat.
In an official clarification, judicial authorities described circulating claims as “unfounded,” insisting that the legal proceedings have been conducted in accordance with Moroccan law and international standards.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office categorically denied any suggestion that the case has been deliberately delayed. Authorities stated that all procedural timelines have been respected and that adjournments were made strictly within the framework of due process.
According to the statement, postponements of hearings were granted at the request of the defendants themselves to allow adequate time to prepare their defence and to ensure the presence of their legal representatives.
Judicial officials also dismissed reports alleging that the detainees were on hunger strike. They confirmed that the accused are receiving their meals regularly and that detention conditions comply with applicable regulations.
“The rumours suggesting otherwise are without basis,” the statement noted.
Authorities explained that one of the hearings was attended by a lawyer registered with a Bar Association in France. However, the absence of a consultation office in Morocco, coupled with the defendants’ preference to be tried in the presence of their chosen lawyers, led to a postponement of the hearing until February 12, 2026.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office emphasised that these postponements were legitimate and aimed at safeguarding the defendants’ right to a fair trial.
Translation and Language Support
In response to concerns about language barriers, the court confirmed that it provided a sworn French-language interpreter during proceedings. French is reportedly mastered by all defendants.
Additionally, authorities coordinated with the Deputy Consul of Senegal in Morocco to make available an interpreter in Wolof, the defendants’ mother tongue, further ensuring that they fully understood the proceedings.
Officials also clarified that Moroccan law does not require the presence of an interpreter during the preliminary investigation phase if the judicial police officer understands the language of the individual concerned, provided that official reports are read and explained to them.
The Moroccan authorities reiterated their commitment to transparency, due process and the protection of the rights of all foreign nationals within the kingdom.
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A Moroccan court on Thursday sentenced 18 Senegalese football supporters to prison terms ranging from three to 12 months after finding them guilty of hooliganism during last month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
The supporters had been in pre-trial detention since 18 January, the day Senegal defeated hosts Morocco 1–0 in a tense and controversial final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
According to the court’s ruling, nine of the defendants received one-year prison sentences and were fined 5,000 Moroccan dirhams (approximately $545). Six others were handed six-month terms alongside fines of 2,000 dirhams (about $218), while three supporters were sentenced to three months in prison and fined 1,000 dirhams (around $109).
Prosecutors had sought a maximum penalty of two years, arguing that the accused “deliberately sought to disrupt the proper conduct of the match” and engaged in “acts of violence broadcast live on television.”
Chaos at the Final
The AFCON final was overshadowed by dramatic scenes late in regulation time following a contentious penalty awarded to Morocco after a VAR review. Senegalese players protested the decision vehemently, surrounding the referee and causing play to be halted for nearly 20 minutes.
Amid the tension, some Senegalese supporters reportedly attempted to invade the pitch, while others threw objects — including chairs — onto the field. Players from both sides temporarily left the pitch before returning after intervention from security officials and match authorities.
Authorities said their case was supported by stadium surveillance footage and medical reports detailing injuries sustained by security personnel during the unrest.
However, defence lawyers rejected the charges and described the sentences as excessive.
“The footage does not contain irrefutable proof showing that any one of them struck or assaulted anyone,” defence counsel Naima El Guellaf told the court.
Another lawyer, Patrick Kabou, called the verdict “incomprehensible,” arguing that his clients were “victims” rather than perpetrators. The defence team has confirmed plans to file an appeal.
The ruling comes as football authorities continue to grapple with the fallout from a final that, despite Senegal’s historic victory, was overshadowed by controversy both on and off the pitch.
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French coach Herve Renard has reopened the debate around the controversial “towel incident” that marred the closing stages of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal.
Renard, who previously coached Morocco and now manages the Saudi Arabia national football team, addressed the episode in a recent interview with Jeune Afrique, describing it as a complex issue rooted partly in African football culture.
“The towel story is long and complicated. It has a certain significance, that’s all,” Renard said. He suggested that, if anyone attempted to remove the towel, it could have been intended to unsettle the opponent psychologically.
“In Europe, people don’t understand that there is something behind it. Was the towel charmed? In Africa, these are beliefs, and everyone is free to believe what they want,” he added.
Renard stressed that cultural context is often overlooked by outsiders. “Those who don’t know Africa cannot understand. In this case, Moroccans would never allow anyone to cross that line,” he said, while admitting he was unsure whether events unfolded exactly as widely portrayed. Drawing from his extensive coaching experience across the continent, he noted that similar charged atmospheres are not uncommon in high-stakes African fixtures.
The incident occurred during the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Final in Rabat, where Senegal defeated Morocco 1–0 to lift the continental crown.
Late in the match, attention shifted away from the ball to Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s towel, which had been placed inside his goal to dry his gloves amid wet conditions. As tensions rose in the closing minutes, substitute goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf attempted to safeguard the towel, resulting in a chaotic scene inside the penalty area.
Television footage — quickly dubbed a “towel tussle” — showed Moroccan midfielder Ismael Saibari blocking Diouf as he tried to return the towel to Mendy, while a ball boy also reached for it. Diouf later insisted he had merely been assisting Mendy and had no intention of disrupting play.
Images circulating after the match appeared to show Moroccan players attempting to remove the towel, sparking a heated debate. Some observers viewed it as gamesmanship designed to unsettle the Senegalese goalkeeper, while others linked the episode to longstanding superstitious beliefs within segments of African football culture.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) disciplinary committee subsequently sanctioned Saibari with a two-match suspension and a $100,000 fine. The midfielder later apologised to Mendy, stating that his actions had been misunderstood.
CAF’s refereeing chief, Olivier Safari, also addressed the matter in an interview with Canal+ Afrique.
“The towel is not part of a goalkeeper’s official equipment. Its use must remain within the spirit of fair play,” Safari explained. “If it influences the match, it must be removed from the playing area.”
His comments underscored the regulatory grey area surrounding auxiliary items such as towels, which are not formally recognised as playing equipment under the Laws of the Game but are commonly used for practical reasons.
While the final result stands and Senegal’s victory remains uncontested, the towel episode has lingered in public discourse — not merely as a fleeting controversy, but as a symbol of the psychological and cultural layers that often accompany African football.
Renard’s remarks add nuance to the debate, suggesting that what may appear trivial to some can carry deeper meaning in different footballing contexts.
Nearly a year after Senegal’s triumph in Rabat, the “towel incident” continues to provoke reflection, less about fabric inside a goalmouth, and more about the intersection of belief, psychology and competition at the highest level of African football.
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