Missing map, lost responsibilities… “Al Riyadiya” forgets the nation at the opening of the Women’s Africa Cup!
In a shocking and serious precedent, Morocco’s “Al Riyadiya” channel aired an advertisement on Saturday during the opening of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations, which featured a map of Morocco excluding its southern territories. This incident can only be described as a “national catastrophe,” especially since the channel is publicly funded and should be at the forefront of defending territorial unity.
The advertisement, belonging to the illegal betting company “1xbet,” did not pass unnoticed; it created internal turmoil within the channel, with hurried attempts to evade responsibility. It’s important to note that broadcasting such a significant ad cannot happen by accident or without severe negligence in oversight.
What is puzzling and infuriating is that the scandal wasn’t just about airing an ad from an unlicensed company in Morocco but about presenting a distorted map of the nation, blatantly challenging national constants and the collective feelings of Moroccans—all on a publicly funded channel!
Informed sources confirmed that officials in the public media sector acknowledged this “grave media oversight” and expressed their deep discontent, deeming what occurred as “absolutely unacceptable.” They stated that this incident touches the core of the nation’s primary issue and requires prompt action to hold those responsible accountable, whoever they may be.
While the channel may justify the incident as a mistake or “misjudgment,” what transpired is far from a simple slip; it represents a stark professional failure and institutional negligence in content oversight, particularly during an official broadcast before the national and continental public.
Passing off a distorted map of Morocco, whatever the justifications, is a direct affront to national sovereignty and an unforgivable dereliction in the issue of Western Sahara, which is a red line for all state institutions, particularly public media. Allowing an illegally operating betting company to appear in this manner on Moroccan screens exacerbates the severity of the mistake and raises serious questions about the level of professionalism and responsibility within “Al Riyadiya.”
The very least that is expected now is the initiation of a transparent investigation and full accountability for administrative and professional responsibilities, along with a formal clarification to the public. Silence on such matters constitutes explicit complicity or, at the very least, a disregard for national sanctities.
Will those responsible for “Al Riyadiya” fully shoulder their responsibilities? Or will we once again settle for attributing the error to a “technical glitch” or an “unattentive employee,” while disappointments sweep by without accountability?
