The National Football Federation in Algeria has decided to suspend all football matches in the country following a tragic bus crash that resulted in the deaths of two members of the Algerian League 1 side Mouloudia El Bayadh.
State media identified the victims as 27-year-old goalkeeper Zakaria Bouziani and assistant coach Khalid Muftah. The team’s bus overturned in the town of Sougueur in north-west Algeria while on its way to Tizi Ouzou for a league game against JSK Kabylie scheduled for Friday, according to local sources. The club, through a Facebook statement, confirmed that other players and officials injured in the accident are currently in stable condition.
“In the wake of the painful tragedy that has befallen Algerian football… we have decided to suspend all football activities scheduled for the end of this week across the entire country,” announced the federation. Additionally, the ceremony for the draw of the rounds of 32 and 16 of the Algerian Cup has been postponed to a later date.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed his deep sorrow upon hearing the news of the tragedy and extended his condolences to the families of the victims.
Mouloudia El Bayadh is currently in sixth place in the Algerian League 1 table, with 15 points from 10 games, trailing league leaders MC Alger by 12 points.