According to Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaa, denying the Moroccan squad ability to participate in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Algeria is deplorable.
“It is really deplorable to deprive young players who have prepared for a month to participate in this African sports competition,” Lekjaa told reporters.
Fouzi Lekjaa was speaking on the sidelines of FIFA and CAF Presidents Gianni Infantino and Patrice Motsepe's arrival at Rabat-Salé Airport on Friday to attend the 2022 Club World Cup draw event.
The Moroccan players, who have won two CHAN titles, landed at Rabat-Salé airport on Friday morning in preparation for their flight to Constantine to compete in the competition, Lekjaa added.
Morocco threatened to withdraw from the biannual tournament in December unless they were permitted to fly in straight from Rabat on the country's state carrier, Royal Air Maroc (RAM), a demand they conveyed to Caf but which Algeria categorically denied.
The two nations severed diplomatic ties in August 2021, after which they locked their airspace and halted all direct flights between them.
"(We) were informed on December 22 by Caf that an authorisation in principle had been obtained,” said FMRF. “The obtaining of the final authorisation has unfortunately not been confirmed by Caf.”
"The FRMF has communicated the details of the flight plan and coordinates in order to obtain final authorisation for the RAM flight from Rabat and continued the preparation of the trip and the participation in Chan."
Morocco is likely to face punishment from Caf as a result of its late withdrawal.