Algeria’s military junta planned to use the Mediterranean games to polish the image of a country beset by authoritarianism, poverty and instability. But its hopes were crushed, as the country accumulated rebukes for its organization fiasco. In a regime that has for long politicized sports and culture, the Algerian regime denied access to nine Moroccan journalists. Earlier this month, Algeria received a first blow from the International Committee of Mediterranean Games which indirectly decried the political use of the sports event to polish a decaying regime. “Mediterranean games were not showcased, and some countries were erased from the map of the Mediterranean sea,” said the committee in a rebuke over the opening ceremony which was rather focused on Algeria only.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 04, 2022 15:49 UTC