Defending Champions of the African Nations Championship ( CHAN), Atlas Lions of Morocco will not be defending the title they won two years ago after they withdrawn from the tournament following the refusal of the host to allow them to take a direct flight from Morocco to Algeria for the tournament which kick – off later today. Algeria had refused Morocco’s demands for a direct flight from Rabat to Constantine, where their group stage matches were to be held due to frosty diplomatic relations between the two country. The trouble started last year December 22nd in which Morocco threatened to pull out of the biennial tournament unless Algeria allowed the Atlas Lions of Morocco to fly directly from their Capital, Rabat aboard the Country’s national airline, Royal Air Maroc, a demand they sent to CAF but which Algeria flatly rejected. Algeria and Morocco cut diplomatic ties in August 2021 after which they closed the airspace with all direct flights between the two Countries suspended. Algeria take on Libya in today’s opening game, while Morocco would have begin the defence of their title against Sudan on Sunday which the Moroccan Football Federation said will not be possible. Morocco, who defeated Mali in the delayed tournament in Cameroon in 2021 to become the first nation to win consecutive CHAN title after they first won it in 2018 , was to be represented by their Under – 23 side in the competition reserved for players who participate in Africa’s domestic leagues. The Atlas Lions had been placed in Group C alongside Ghana, Madagascar and Sudan. Prior to the withdrawal, Morocco had played two friendlies against Ethiopia at their training camp in Sale this week ahead of the flight they expected to take directly to Constantine.
Morocco pull out from CHAN 2023 because of flight disagreement with Algeria
