Dans le run-up to IRT’s trip to Safi, with only four matches left in the championship, real problems have surfaced with the delay in payment of the last three monthly salaries and bonuses of the professionals.
The footballers are pointing fingers at all committee members for failing to secure sponsors to resolve the financial crisis. They also accuse the president of turning off his phone to avoid answering calls.
Gathered with their captains, the players, who are now in debt in Tangier – a city that has become the most expensive in the kingdom – decided to boycott the trip to the sardine capital as they no longer knew where to turn. They believed that the only solution was to not play the upcoming matches. A dire situation indeed!
At the last minute, captain Jorfi, who replaced Konate due to poor performance, and his teammates were present at the Al Massira stadium to secure three points against Safi. The match, with a barely average technical level, saw defenses play a key role in avoiding defeat. With the locals reduced to ten men after Haba was sent off in the 42nd minute, they struggled to control the midfield.
IRT took advantage of this to dominate the game and score the opening goal. Apart from Khafi, the current top scorer of the championship with 10 goals, the other forwards lost possession frequently, especially in the penalty area.
The game was open on both ends, but with different circumstances: OCS’ calmness due to a respectable position in the standings, and IRT’s pressure to fight relegation. The suspense was palpable as coaches forwent a defensive approach.
Tangier firmly believed in their chances to win and launched numerous attacks. It was only in the seven minutes of added time that the offensive opportunities materialized. A collective effort led to Kassak’s goal at the 92nd minute, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Three minutes later, Khafi equalized to make it 1-1. A fair result considering the effort put in by both teams on the field.
President Mohamed Cherkaoui has faced numerous issues in his life, particularly in politics, both as mayor and head of the Tanger ville constituency. How does this conflict relate to IRT? Why has football become entangled in politics, contradicting the principles of sports and the regulations of FRMF, CAF, and FIFA?
In Tanger, opponents from various political parties, predominantly businessmen and prominent figures in the economic sector, seek to harm IRT’s standing in the championship simply because Cherkaoui is its president. Personal vendettas seem to overshadow the team’s performance.
This deplorable situation hampers the team’s progress at the bottom of the table. The ongoing « player strike » affects training sessions, sit-ins at the club entrance, and, in this case, nearly boycotting a match in Safi – a scandal yet to be witnessed in Moroccan football.
Regardless of who is right or wrong, the IRT players, a professional outfit, deserve to be paid on time each month, with some leniency for bonus payments.
