The Algerian media has unleashed a barrage of unfounded rumors and slander in an attempt to heap pressure on the Mauritanian team. The Mauritanian Football Federation (FFRIM), however, remains steadfast, denouncing the misinformation propagated by the junta’s media outlets.
Following two draws in their initial matches, Algeria finds itself in a must-win situation against Mauritania to secure a spot in the Round of 16.
While the match is scheduled to commence at 9 p.m. (Moroccan time) at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, Algerian media has already initiated a media offensive with misleading narratives.
The campaign began with the distortion of Mauritania’s coach, Amir Abdou’s words. Algerian journalists, seeking to create unrest, manipulated Abdou’s response to a question about the team’s preparation time after their defeat against Angola.
The misrepresentation falsely suggested that Abdou had urged Algeria’s coach Djamel Belmadi to prepare for the upcoming match.
Abdou, at a subsequent press conference, refuted the claims, condemning the unnecessary media pressure: “It’s a shame to see so much media pressure.
I didn’t tell Belmadi to prepare his team; I just said ‘ask Belmadi’ when answering a question about how to prepare in three days. It’s a shame, that’s celebrity press.”
Furthermore, Algerian media fueled rumors about alleged financial backing from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) for Mauritania’s pre-AFCON2023 training.
The FFRIM promptly dismissed these claims, labeling them as “completely false” and emphasizing the lack of substance in the widely disseminated information.
In an elaborate fabrication, Algerian media concocted an imaginary interview with Mauritanian journalist Lassana Camara, falsely asserting his confirmation of FRMF assistance to FFRIM for the team’s training in Tunisia before AFCON2023. Camara took to social media, dispelling the claims made by the Algerian media.
Adding to the unsavory tactics, the Algerian press indulged in racial undertones by downplaying the Mauritanian team’s abilities and encouraging the Fennecs to secure an easy victory.
These disparaging remarks, rooted in a system of racism, have not gone unnoticed, casting a shadow over the sportsmanship leading up to the crucial match.
Un journal ou une page poubelle algérien a écrit que moi de manière mensongère : « j’ai déclaré que le stage de la Mauritanie en Tunisie 🇹🇳 a été financé par la Fédération Marocaine de Football ».
✅ Premièrement,c’est une citation mensongère et totalement inventée.
✅… pic.twitter.com/m4jgj2Fuis— Lassana Camara (@mauritaniefoot) January 21, 2024
