Sports Minister Loses Job Over Flooded Pitch At Fifa Club World Cup

Moroccan King Mohammed VI has removed the country’s minister of youth and sport because of the poor state of a stadium during the 2014 Fifa Club World Cup, according to a statement by the royal palace.

A quarter-final match between African champions Entente Setif and Oceania champions Auckland City on December 13 was disrupted when a heavy downpour left the pitch waterlogged. Auckland City won the match 1-0.

The Moroccan government spent $25 million to renovate the field, yet its poor drainage system turned out an eye-sore, raising accusations of corruption in the ministry.

The Semi-Final Clash Between European Champions Real Madrid and Cruz Azul Was Shifted from Rabat Due to the Waterlogged Nature of the Pitch. Image: Getty.
The Semi-Final Clash Between European Champions Real Madrid and Cruz Azul Was Shifted from Rabat Due to the Waterlogged Nature of the Pitch. Image: Getty.

The King first passed an order for the suspension of Mohamed Quizzine, 46, on December 19 but moved for his removal on Wednesday.

Stories of other alleged malfeasance of the minister had been rife in Moroccan press in the build-up to his dismissal.