Official Club Pages: Online Hatred Permitted, Stadium Hatred Forbidden?
The 'clash' culture continues to escalate among Moroccans, largely due to the actions of 'officials'. In recent years, the official pages of some clubs have transformed from platforms for communicating with fans and sharing news into open spaces for what is known as 'clashes'. These posts are based on sarcasm, provocation, and belittling the opposing side, in a style that fuels tension and sows hatred among supporters. The recent deletion of posts from the official pages of Wydad AC and Raja CA reignites the debate about the true responsibility for the current state of the sports atmosphere in Morocco.
These behaviors are alien to Moroccan sports tradition, which for years was based on competition on the field and respect off it, regardless of the intensity of rivalry between clubs and their fans. However, what is happening today reflects a dangerous shift, contributed to by some officials and administrators of official pages, where 'trends' and interaction numbers have become more important than preserving the club's image and values.
The dangerous aspect is that the very same entities that call for combating hooliganism and hatred sometimes directly or indirectly engage in fueling it via social media. How can fans be asked to show sportsmanship when official posts contain provocative messages or insinuations targeting the other side? And how can one speak of combating fanaticism while some official pages open the door to it and legitimize it?
Combating hooliganism should not be limited to punishing fans, banning travel, or imposing financial penalties. Rather, it should also include everyone who contributes to spreading hate speech, regardless of their position or status. An official who publishes or allows the publication of content that provokes fans of another club is not much different from a fan who turns the stands into a space for insults, abuse, and violence.
Football is supposed to be an outlet for sports competition, not an arena for settling grudges, spreading poison, division, and discrimination among fans. What is published via official pages remains more dangerous than any ordinary post, because it is issued in the name of a sports institution that is supposed to be a role model in discourse and conduct. Therefore, a firm hand must be applied to everyone who harms the image of Moroccan football, whether a fan in the stands or an official behind a phone screen managing an official page in the name of a major club.
