{"id":42229,"date":"2022-07-04T21:24:08","date_gmt":"2022-07-04T21:24:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africannewspaper.net\/2022\/07\/04\/algerias-oran-mediterranean-games-turn-to-scandalous-fiasco-the-north-africa-post\/"},"modified":"2022-07-04T21:24:16","modified_gmt":"2022-07-04T21:24:16","slug":"algerias-oran-mediterranean-games-turn-to-scandalous-fiasco-the-north-africa-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africannewspaper.net\/2022\/07\/04\/algerias-oran-mediterranean-games-turn-to-scandalous-fiasco-the-north-africa-post\/","title":{"rendered":"Algeria\u2019s Oran Mediterranean games turn to scandalous fiasco \u2013 The North Africa Post"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Algeria\u2019s military junta planned to use the Mediterranean games to polish the image of a country beset by authoritarianism, poverty and instability. Its hopes were dashed when the country received rebukes for its organisation fiasco.<\/p>\n
Nine Moroccan journalists were denied access to the Algerian regime by a regime that has long politized culture and sports. They were kept at the airport for more than 30 hours without food.<\/p>\n
Algeria accused Morocco’s well-known sports journalists of being spies. This insinuates that Algeria as a whole has become a military caserne. However, the regime that views Morocco as a threat was expecting this move.<\/p>\n
Algeria was dealt a direct blow by the International Committee of Mediterranean Games earlier this month. It indirectly denounced the political use of the sporting event to promote a crumbling regime.<\/p>\n
\u201cMediterranean games were not showcased, and some countries were erased from the map of the Mediterranean sea,\u201d said the committee in a rebuke over the opening ceremony which was rather focused on Algeria only.<\/p>\n
\u201cTransportation was a total fiasco,\u201d said the committee, noting that many guests were left waiting for hours.<\/p>\n
These dysfunctions are \u201cunacceptable and unprecedented,\u201d the committee said, adding that these organizational shortfalls added to the lack of drinking water and medical support.<\/p>\n
The statement\u2019s language could have been harsher had it been issued after all the serious and intended errors by organizing Algeria.<\/p>\n
Morocco\u2019s anthem was cut as organizers omitted the last part of it referring to the Kingdom\u2019s motto \u201cGod, the Homeland and the King.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is even called the Fassi anthem by organizers to avoid saying Morocco in a vile act of hostility.<\/p>\n
An Albanian gold winner was forced by the Libyan anthem to be heard instead of the Albanian. A Spanish team also heard the Italian song!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n