The “Interferers” Virus Threatens the Ascension Dream of Ittihadi Kénitra
As Ittihadi Kénitra continues its earnest attempts to reclaim its rightful place among the elite clubs, an old problem has resurfaced in a new guise: the culture of entering the stadium without a ticket. This phenomenon, which seemed a minor detail for years, has now transformed into a significant obstacle for a team striving to emerge from a period of crisis.
Ittihadi Kénitra did not reach this stage without challenges. The club returned from the amateur division after spending years burdened by the legacies of previous administrations—mounting debts, a lack of transparency in management, and a trajectory that ended with a once-prestigious team on the sidelines of competitions. During that time, many remained silent. There were no protests or accountability, and the voices we now hear raising slogans of rejection and accusation did not dare to speak up when the club was suffering in the lower divisions. The team was drowning while the entire city watched.
Today, as Ittihadi Kénitra begins to regain its balance and competes for promotion to the professional first division, bizarre and insidious campaigns led by the “Interferers” have emerged, targeting the management not with responsible criticism, but with noise closer to disruption than discussion.
This management, despite its limited resources, has managed to reorganize, open a new chapter, and restore confidence in the team and its supporters. Nevertheless, it now finds itself under attack from parties that had no opinion or position when the club was struggling in the amateur ranks, and did not even dare to open their mouths in front of those who brought the team to ruin.
Amid this ambiguous equation, the role of the fans becomes crucial. Supporting the team goes beyond mere cheers or images shared on social media; it requires purchasing a ticket and embodying a sense of belonging that is a responsibility, not just a slogan. Every occupied seat without a ticket adds a financial burden to a team relying on a budget that needs every dirham to cover travel expenses, salaries, and technical commitments.
The culture of free entry is not “just chaos at the gates”; it indirectly undermines the efforts of a team trying to stand again after years of stumbling. At a time when the club needs conscious and aware crowd support, it is unacceptable for this phenomenon to continue as if it were normal.
Ittihadi Kénitra today stands at a historic opportunity. The management is working, the players are fighting, and the stands must rise to the occasion. Kénitra, which has long celebrated its affiliation with this club, is called upon to translate its love into tangible support that starts with a ticket and does not end at mere cheering.
A storied team like Ittihadi Kénitra does not deserve to be cornered by the culture of “free entry,” nor should it be held hostage by narrow calculations. It deserves a fan base that understands that maintaining the club begins with the smallest and truest step: paying for a ticket that keeps it standing.
