Morocco has denounced 'provocative' acts and 'transgressions' by Algeria during the opening ceremony of the 2022 CHAN tournament on Friday, January 13, 2023.
This has brought about a new episode in the ongoing political dispute between the North African neighbours which has been in existence since August 2021.
Morocco and Algeria are politically fighting over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where the Algerian-backed Polisario movement seeking independence referendum.
At the opening ceremony in Algiers, the grandson of former South African leader Nelson Mandela slammed Morocco to "free" the disputed territory which has sparked a lot more of the political rift.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Royal Morocco Football Federation condemned the 'provocative and surreal speech' by Chief Mandla Mandela.
Western Sahara is seen as an integral part of the Moroccan kingdom and a highly sensitive issue of security and national pride.
"Let us fight to free Western Sahara from oppression," Mandla Mandela expressed in the stadium named in honour of his grandfather, South Africa’s first democratically elected president Nelson Mandela after the fall of apartheid, in the Algerian city of Constantine.
"Don’t forget the last colony of Africa, Western Sahara," he added.
The desert territory boasts rich Atlantic fisheries, phosphate resources and a land route to markets in West Africa.
The Moroccan Football Federation also said the speech "flouted the rules governing the organisation of football events under the auspices of the Confederation of African Football (CAF)."
The Federation further slammed the 'racist' anti-Moroccan remarks at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers, as videos circulated on social media appeared to show Algeria supporters chanting derogatory slogans against Moroccans.
The Federation confirmed it had written to the CAF, asking it to uphold "all its responsibilities in the face of these flagrant transgressions that have no relation to the principles and values."
"We stand together to fight for the liberation of Palestine,” Mandla Mandela also said in his speech.
On Thursday, Morocco said they were withdrawing from the tournament after Algeria refused to authorise a direct flight from Rabat to Constantine, where the team were supposed to base.
On Friday, the Moroccan team got to Rabat airport awaiting authorisation to fly to Constantine for the CHAN after a last-minute dialogue took place.
However, the Moroccan Football Federation said the team could not travel as the flight to Constantine was not authorised for travelling from Rabat with a direct flight.
Algeria’s airspace has been closed to Moroccan flights since Algiers broke off diplomatic ties with Rabat in August 2021 over what it called "hostile actions."