Moroccan League President Acknowledges Refereeing Errors Against Rulani Mokwena’s Wydad Athletic Club

The President of the Moroccan National Professional League, Abdel Salam Belqchour, has admitted that Wydad Athletic Club, under the management of Rulani Mokwena, has been subjected to refereeing mistakes in the Botola Pro League. His statement comes amid growing complaints over the quality of officiating in Morocco’s top-tier football competition.

Throughout the season, several teams have expressed dissatisfaction with officiating, but Wydad appears to be one of the most affected. The Red Castle have dropped crucial points due to contentious decisions made by match officials, prompting Mokwena to repeatedly voice concerns over what he perceives as unfair calls. The South African coach has particularly pointed out the disallowance of legitimate goals by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), which he believes has cost his team valuable results.

Since taking charge at the beginning of the season, Mokwena has not hesitated to challenge the decisions made by officials. His complaints have led to Wydad formally lodging grievances with the Moroccan football federation. Now, Belqchour has acknowledged that Wydad’s concerns are not baseless after an evaluation of the complaints submitted.

“There were refereeing errors against Wydad, and I say this based on the directorate’s statements when it did justice to the team on various occasions,” Belqchour told Radio Mars, as reported by Le Site Sport.

He further elaborated, stating, “I build on these testimonies because I am not an expert in the field of refereeing, and I am not authorized to talk about one shot or another or criticize one referee over another, given that his performance is at a certain level. I built on the directorate’s statements, which sometimes did justice to Wydad, through the interventions of some referees that were not correct.”

Belqchour also confirmed that multiple complaints from Wydad had been received and were referred to the league’s management for review. In response to the ongoing controversy, the Moroccan league has brought in renowned referee Ismail Al-Fath to assess the current state of officiating and propose improvements. According to Belqchour, this initiative aims to implement a more responsible and serious approach to handling refereeing complaints, including those filed by Wydad.

With only five matches remaining in the 2024/25 Botola Pro League season, all eyes will be on the league’s response to Wydad’s grievances. The Casablanca-based club is currently engaged in a fierce battle for a CAF Champions League qualification spot. They occupy third place in the standings, just two points behind second-placed AS FAR Rabat, while RSB Berkane has already secured the league title.

As the season nears its conclusion, the Moroccan National Professional League will face increasing pressure to ensure fair officiating and address the concerns raised by Wydad, potentially shaping the league’s reputation and credibility moving forward.