Redouane Jiyed removed as Morocco’s national refereeing chief

The Ligue nationale de football professionnel (LNFP) has reorganised Morocco’s National Refereeing Directorate (DNA), removing former international referee Redouane Jiyed from his role as national technical director.

The decision was officially announced on Friday, 30 October, after several weeks of criticism and tension surrounding the performances of referees and the way they were being managed.

Abderrahim El Arjoun has been appointed to lead the DNA, tasked with improving a department that has frequently been at the centre of controversy in the Moroccan league.

The LNFP said the change was intended “to inject new momentum into national refereeing, strengthen the mechanisms for its development and improve its level”.

Jiyed, who had held the position for two years, has not been removed from the organisation altogether. Instead, he will take charge of the initial and continuing education of referees, an area where the league intends to use his experience in Morocco and on the international stage.

The reshuffle follows a significant deterioration in relations between Jiyed and sections of the refereeing body. According to Le Site Info, a number of referees, particularly younger officials, had raised concerns about his communication and management methods.

Those tensions are understood to have gradually weakened Jiyed’s position.

The move came a day after Abdesslam Belkchour, president of the LNFP, publicly criticised the state of refereeing during an interview with Radio Mars.

Belkchour said he was “dissatisfied with the performances of the referees, the DNA and even its director personally”, adding that he wanted to “put a face to the issue and clarify matters”.

“We wanted more progress and a correction of the shortcomings,” he said. “He is one of the best Moroccan referees, and he joined the DNA immediately after retiring. At that time, he had good relations with the referees. But many of them have recently asked for his resignation.”

The leadership change was confirmed 24 hours later.

Yahya Hadka and Mohamed El Kazzaz had also been mentioned as possible successors, but the LNFP ultimately chose El Arjoun to take over the directorate.

The appointment opens a new chapter for Moroccan refereeing, whose credibility and standards of performance remain regular subjects of debate. The immediate challenge for El Arjoun will be to address the tensions within the refereeing body while helping improve performances on the pitch.