CAF Cup: NGO questions Safi-USM Alger match incidents

A Moroccan human rights organisation has alleged serious organisational failures and raised concerns about a possible “premeditated” scenario following incidents during the CAF Cup semi-final between OC Safi and USM Alger.

The second leg of the tie, which ended 1-1, has come under renewed scrutiny after the Moroccan Organization for Human Rights and the Fight Against Corruption published a report detailing what it describes as multiple irregularities surrounding the matchday arrangements.

According to the document, the issues go beyond isolated shortcomings, pointing instead to a pattern of deficiencies in planning and execution that, the organisation argues, contributed directly to the tensions witnessed inside the stadium.

Central to the report is criticism of the ticketing system.

The organisation claims that ticket distribution lacked transparency and that crowd management was poorly handled, resulting in an overwhelming influx of spectators.

This situation, it says, created conditions that made it difficult to maintain order.

The report also highlights what it describes as significant lapses in access control.

Spectators were allegedly allowed entry without thorough checks, while individuals described as hooded were reportedly present in the stands.

The organisation considers this a serious breach of standard security procedures, particularly for a high-profile continental fixture.

These concerns are linked directly to the incidents that unfolded during the match.

According to the findings, tensions escalated in areas close to the section allocated to USM Alger supporters.

The report suggests that the environment became increasingly hostile, affecting both fans and players.

The atmosphere inside the stadium was further strained by logistical delays.

Kick-off was postponed by more than an hour, a detail the organisation presents as evidence of broader disorganisation.

In its assessment, such a delay reflects deeper structural issues in the management of the event.

Describing the situation as “dangerous,” the organisation argues that the combination of inadequate planning, weak security measures and crowd mismanagement placed both participants and spectators at risk.

It has called for legal proceedings to be initiated and for a comprehensive review of the regulatory framework governing such events.

The report does not stop at identifying operational failures.

It also raises questions about the broader context in which the match took place.

By suggesting the possibility of a “premeditated scenario,” the organisation introduces a more serious allegation, implying that the incidents may not have been entirely accidental.

This interpretation adds a new dimension to the debate surrounding the match.

In the days following the fixture, differing narratives had already begun to emerge regarding the causes of the unrest.

The publication of this report has intensified those discussions, providing additional material for scrutiny.

While some voices have sought to attribute responsibility elsewhere, the organisation’s findings focus primarily on internal shortcomings.

Its analysis presents the events as part of a wider pattern rather than a singular breakdown, reinforcing its call for systemic changes.

The reference to the Makhzen, a term commonly used to describe the Moroccan establishment, further underlines the political sensitivity of the issue.

By invoking this concept, the report situates the incidents within a broader institutional framework, raising questions that extend beyond the immediate context of the match.

Despite the gravity of the allegations, no official conclusions have been announced by governing football bodies at this stage.

The report, however, is likely to increase pressure on relevant authorities to provide clarity and, potentially, to take action.

For now, the events in Safi remain the subject of competing interpretations.

What is clear is that the match, which should have been defined solely by sporting competition, has instead become a focal point for wider concerns about organisation, security and accountability in major football events.

As attention turns to the next stages of the CAF Cup, the issues raised by the Moroccan Organization for Human Rights and the Fight Against Corruption are unlikely to fade quickly.

The report’s detailed account ensures that questions will persist, both about what happened on that evening and about how similar situations can be prevented in the future.