The Congolese Football Federation issued a condemnatory statement on Monday evening, expressing disapproval for the events following the match between the “Atlas Lions” and the “Leopards” in the second round of the African Cup of Nations group stage (1-1).
While the Royal Moroccan Football Federation has not released any clarifying statement regarding the mentioned incident, the Congolese Federation, in its statement, opted to adopt the narrative of Chancel Mbemba, the captain of their national team.
According to Mbemba, he was subjected to racial abuse by the Moroccan national coach, Walid El Rhouraki, after the conclusion of the match.
The Congolese Federation, in the same statement, condemned such non-sporting events, indicating that it reserves the right to pursue avenues of protest through disciplinary committees affiliated with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Media reports suggest that CAF has initiated an investigation to uncover the reasons behind the altercation between Moroccan and Congolese players, aiming to identify the culprits and impose necessary sanctions in the coming days.
National coach Walid El Rhouraki, who is also the leader of the “Atlas Lions,” revealed in statements to the French newspaper “L’Équipe” that Chancel Mbemba, the captain of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s national team, verbally attacked him and his assistant on the touchline before the end of the match, leading to further developments that required player intervention.
