Amrouche: Morocco runs African football, they choose their referees, and we remain mere spectators (French)
Tanzania coach Adel Amroush was suspended in the finals of the African Cup of Nations due to his controversial statements against the Moroccan national team, which beat its national team 3-0, in its opening match of the tournament last Wednesday.
The Tanzanian Football Association said that the Disciplinary Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) suspended the coach for 8 matches and fined him $10,000, after a complaint filed by the Moroccan Football Federation.
CAF has not issued any statement regarding the decision yet.
Clifford Mario Ndembo, spokesman for the Tanzanian Federation, explained that the latter “suspense coach Amroush. As a result of this decision, Hamid Moroko was appointed interim coach and he will be assisted by Juma Mgunda.”
Amrouche said that Morocco has great influence within the decision-making circle in African football and influences the appointment of referees.
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The Disciplinary Committee of the Confederation of African Football suspended 🇩🇿 Algerian Adel Amrouche, coach of the Tanzanian 🇹🇿 national team @Tanfootball for 8 matches and imposed a fine of 10 thousand dollars, following his controversial statements before the Morocco match 🇲🇦 in the 2023 African Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire pic.twitter. com/zeujoMrFxi
- beIN SPORTS News (@beINSPORTSNews) January 19, 2024
Amroush explained - in an interview with Algerian television before the match against Morocco last Wednesday - that “the Moroccan Football Federation is a proven force in the world of African football. Morocco runs African football. They also choose their referees and we remain mere spectators.”
Amroush, who was born in Algeria and holds Belgian citizenship, added that Morocco has a “strike force” within the African Union that implements its orders.
"For example, during the match between us and Morocco in the World Cup qualifiers in November, we asked to play at two in the afternoon," the coach said.
Tanzania wanted to use the heat of the day in the home match in Dar es Salaam to its advantage against Morocco, most of whose players play in European clubs.
Amroush added, “But CAF set the date of the match for the evening.”
The Tanzanian Federation appointed coach Hamid Moroko to lead the national team after punishing Algerian Adel Amroush. #ENDM pic.twitter.com/hU1zLdYYbv
- ENDM 🇲🇦 (@ENDM_Twit) January 19, 2024
In the same interview, Amroush criticized the Tanzanian Federation for changing the preparatory camp before the tournament.
“I had scheduled a preparatory camp in Algeria and even scheduled friendly matches against Mauritania, Cape Verde and Anderlecht.”
He added, "But there was influence on officials to move our preparedness headquarters. So we had to prepare in Cairo."
Source: Reuters