The pogrom did not thunder – Sport – Kommersant

The results of the semi-finals at the World Cup were expected not only by the fans. Parisian police officers, far-right politicians and diplomats were preparing for last night. And of course, the people of Paris, who feared too much celebration of the victory, no matter who won it. The result, fortunately, did not exceed all expectations, according to a Kommersant correspondent in France. Alexey Tarkhanov.

The preparation for the match caused me, a person hostile to any sport, sincere bewilderment. The semi-final was presented as the coming revenge of the fraternal oppressed people to the evil colonialists. So some observers in the Russian press wrote with gloating pleasure, forgetting, however, that the Kingdom of Morocco, unlike Algeria, was not a colony, but a protectorate (in free comparison – the GDR under the USSR). Far-right French politicians spoke about the same, happily predicting riots in cities given over to the will of immigrants. They were preparing for the pedagogical classic “we warned you”.

Diplomats expected complications in the moral climate in relations between the two countries in any game scenario. Although France and Morocco do not have such a difficult history of relations as France and Algeria, there are several points that still prevent full understanding.

In Rabat, they are jealous of the attempts of French politicians to restore good relations with the leaders of Algeria. Although the Algerians are the closest neighbors and people of a seemingly common fate, they do not have mutual understanding with Morocco on an important territorial issue.

Separatists from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Western Sahara (Polisario), backed by Algeria, are fighting for control of once Spanish-owned Western Sahara. They demand independence, Morocco is ready only for autonomy. In this, King Mohammed VI counts on the assistance of France, stating: “The Sahara issue is the prism through which Morocco looks at the world.”

Another motive is the unilateral decision of France in 2021 to reduce the issuance of entry visas to Moroccans by 50%. The authorities explain this by the unwillingness of the kingdom to accept its subjects expelled from France with OQTF (obligation to leave the territory). As a result, the level of diplomatic representation was almost lowered – since September there has been no French ambassador in Rabat, and only today, as part of the visit of Foreign Minister Catherine Colonne to Morocco, which begins in the evening, the candidacy of the new head of the French diplomatic mission, the well-known international and financial functionary Christophe, was confirmed. Lecourtier. They must prepare Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Morocco and a meeting with Mohammed VI. There was hope that the two politicians could meet yesterday on the football stands in Qatar, but the king refused to visit, Mr. Macron watched the match alone. After the victory of the French national team, he uttered a lot of laudatory words to the opponents in front of the cameras.

In France, the rejoicing was general and rather peaceful. Fans yelled, danced and set off fireworks on the Champs Elysees. 25 thousand people gathered here, and 2000 police officers monitored their behavior.

There were some minor skirmishes, 167 people were detained, but no large-scale “immigrant riots” that the right-wingers waited with sweet bated breath did not happen. Fights between fans were noted in Montpellier, but in the south the weather is warmer and the morals are hotter. It was there during the football festival that the only tragedy occurred that night: a 14-year-old boy died under the wheels of one of the cars of the festive corteges.

This morning I received a call from several Russian channels asking me to “tell about the pogroms”. I could not please my interlocutors in any way, they waited in vain: the pogroms did not thunder. It seemed madness to me that sporting competition was equated with political competition, hoping to cure it or, on the contrary, inflame old wounds. I vividly imagined the situation of the Moroccans living in France, many of whom also have dual citizenship. What kind of match was this for them, like the rivalry of one and the second hand, the right and the left ventricle?

Even more stupid and harmful seemed to me journalists and politicians who raise the importance of a team kickball game to the level of a military operation. Football owns the minds of millions, really. But it’s just a game. Although it would be better to live out political ambitions on the football field instead of the battlefield.