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Tributes and calls for blood donations have multiplied since Saturday among athletes, whether from Morocco or elsewhere.
The earthquake that struck Morocco triggered a wave of support across the globe and the sporting world is no exception. Starting with the football stars. Born in Madrid but to parents from Morocco, PSG and Moroccan national team player Achraf Hakimi published, on Saturday September 9, a photo of himself during a blood donation, with this message: “At present , the priority is to provide blood to those in critical situations. Blood donation is everyone’s responsibility to save as many lives as possible. Your help is essential.”
The Atlas Lions, led by their charismatic coach Walid Regragui, also donated blood in a hospital in Agadir. “It’s really a national mourning,” explained the native coach of Corbeil-Essonnes in a video broadcast by the Moroccan Football Federation. We are still examples. […] And the example was to give our blood. It’s the least we can do. Afterwards, there will be other acts.”
Right now, the priority is to provide blood to those in critical situations. Blood donation is everyone’s responsibility to save as many lives as possible. Your help is essential ????????❤️
This time, the priority is to give blood to people… pic.twitter.com/a1JZ9KxN81
— Achraf Hakimi (@AchrafHakimi) September 9, 2023
The match scheduled between Morocco and Liberia on Saturday September 9 has been postponed, which contrasts with the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to maintain the meeting between Gambia and Congo this Sunday evening, scheduled for Marrakech. “For me, it’s not normal to play this match out of respect for the dead, for all the families, the people who work in the police, the hospitals… Focusing on a football match is not a good timing, I think,” regretted on RFI Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet. CAF simply announced that all teams will wear a black armband during the qualifying matches for the African Cup of Nations.
Minute of silence
World football personalities, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Mesut Ozil, Riyad Mahrez and Sergio Ramos have shown their support on social networks, while many clubs have published official press releases. Also very symbolic, the Mauritanian selection displayed a message of support in the Nouakchott stadium before the match against Gabon: “Our hearts are with you.” The next matches of the European selections, but also of certain championships of the Old Continent, such as the French Ligue 1 or the Spanish Liga, will be preceded by a minute of silence in tribute to the victims of the tragedy.
Former coach of Morocco and current coach of the French women’s football team, very popular with fans of the Atlas Lions, Hervé Renard shared his emotion in the columns of the Parisian : “Just a very big thought for all the Moroccan people, and mainly my sincere condolences to the families of the victims of this earthquake. May international aid be exceptional for Morocco. We need exceptional solidarity.”
“I’m not going to fight to entertain”
The wave of solidarity does not stop at football. At the start of the 15th stage of the Tour of Spain in Pamplona this Sunday, the winner of the 2022 edition, Remco Evenepoel, and his teammates from the Soudal Quick-Step team posed with a Moroccan flag. “My wife comes from Morocco, we have a lot of family close to the region where horrible things happened,” said the Belgian. It’s been a difficult time for her, her family and me, so this is a way to support the people and Morocco with everything that’s happened.”
At the Dôme de Paris, kickboxer Badr Hari, of Moroccan and Dutch nationality, was to face James McSweeney as part of the Glory fight series. But, after entering the ring, visibly moved, he finally gave up fighting. “People are fighting to look for corpses in Morocco, I am not going to fight to entertain,” he explained. The boss of Glory, Scott Rudmann, for his part announced that all profits from the evening would go to the victims.
