Latest news with #RajaClubAthletic
Morocco World
2 days ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Raja Club Athletic Name New Sporting Director
Raja Club Athletic has officially announced the appointment of Sebastian Sommacal as the club's new sporting director on July 21, to modernise and restructure its sporting operations. Sommacal is one of the leading figures in sports management, with over 20 years of extensive experience. He has worked closely with international players such as Aurélien Tchouaméni, Jules Koundé, and Jonathan Gradit. He began his career at French club Bordeaux and has also worked in Africa, notably with Tunisian clubs Étoile du Sahel and Club Sportif Bizertin. The announcement comes just as Raja begins pre-season training. The club's leadership is counting on Sommacal to spearhead a broader restructuring process affecting both the technical and administrative arms of the organisation, as outlined by president Jawad Ziyet. Despite the optimism, reactions on social media were mixed. One user wrote: 'All support to the club's management. Let's ease up on the criticism, be patient, and let people do their jobs.' Another fan said: 'Just keep going and stay focused on your work. What matters to us is seeing Raja as a great club. We're not concerned with names, selection methods, or the process — what truly matters is achieving positive results. As Raja loyalists, we'll continue playing our part in supporting this proud and historic institution.' However, criticism was also directed at the choice. One supporter said: 'What does the sporting director have to do with youth development? His main role is to manage the first team, oversee transfers while maintaining financial balance, and rely on a solid network of agents and contacts.' Tags: botola proRaja Club Athletic
Morocco World
7 days ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Official: Raja Athletic Club Signs Khalid Alaoui
Raja Athletic Club officially announced today the signing of Khalid Akber Alaoui, the ex-goalkeeper of the Olympic of Safi. Khalid lands at the Casablanca-based team on a three-year contract as part of the team's strategy to reinforce their goalkeeping position. 'This signing aligns harmoniously with the management board's strategy and aims to strengthen the first team with promising and competent players capable of making an impact and contributing to the club's objectives,' the club said in a statement today. 'We welcome goalkeeper Khalid Akbiri to his new home and wish him a successful career filled with dedication and achievements with Raja Club Athletic.' Alaoui played a pivotal role in Olympique Safi's winning the Moroccan Throne Cup title last year. He made over 26 league appearances last season, playing a total of 2,340 minutes and keeping 10 clean sheets. The goalkeeper started his professional journey at MAS Fez, after moving to Raja Beni Mellal on loan from MAS. He transferred to Chabab Soualem before aligning with Olympic of Safi in July 2022. Tags: Morocco's Raja Club
Morocco World
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Ex‑Raja Casablanca President Mohamed Boudrika Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison
Rabat – A court in Casablanca sentenced former Raja Club Athletic president and parliamentarian, Mohamed Boudrika, to five years in prison today, SNRT News reported. The Casablanca Criminal Court also ordered Boudrika to pay MAD 664,000 in damages to the victims and barred him from issuing cheques for one year. Boudrika was found guilty of fraud, forgery, and issuing cheques without sufficient funds. Throughout the trial, he denied all charges, claiming that the investigating judge had relied only on the complainant's statements and had not presented hard evidence, according to reports. During the final hearing, Boudrika strongly defended himself and insisted there was no proof of wrongdoing aside from verbal allegations. In July 2024, Boudrika was arrested in Germany under an international warrant and later extradited to Morocco in April 2025, following approval from German authorities. He faced a one-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of MAD 232,500 in March 2024, following a case against him in absentia for issuing bad cheques. He has been held in pretrial detention at Oukacha prison in Casablanca since April 25, 2025. Charges include issuing bad cheques, fraud, forgery, and using administrative documents illegally. Born in Casablanca, Boudrika became Raja's president twice, first in 2012-2016, then re-elected in May 2023. Under his leadership, the club won domestic titles and reached the FIFA Club World Cup final in 2013, defeating international heavyweights. He was also a member of the Moroccan parliament for the RNI party and served as head of the Mers Sultan district council. His business ventures include real estate. He briefly left office following a building collapse in 2016 and controversy over selling overpriced World Cup tickets in 2022. After Morocco reached the semifinals, controversy erupted around the allocation of free tickets meant for Moroccan fans. Instead of being distributed fairly, many tickets allegedly made their way into the hands of private individuals and were resold at inflated prices. Boudrika, then a member of the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), was accused of distributing large numbers of tickets to his associates, party members, and close relatives.
Morocco World
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Ex-Raja President Boudrika Handed Over to Moroccan Authorities
Mohamed Boudrika, the former MP and president of Raja Club Athletic, has finally landed in Morocco after being extradited from Germany where he'd been holed up in custody since July 2024. Escorted by Moroccan police who flew to Frankfurt to collect him, Boudrika touched down at Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport last Thursday – bringing an end to his eight-month legal limbo in Europe. The 42-year-old was nabbed at Hamburg Airport last summer under an international arrest warrant issued by Rabat. He's accused of a list of crime including issuing bounced checks, fraud, swindling, and document forgery. In February, Germany's top court in Hamburg gave the green light for his extradition. The country's Federal Office of Justice then rubber-stamped the handover after ironing out the legal details. Now back in Morocco, Boudrika was transferred to Ain Sebaa prison – commonly known as Oukacha where he will remain in custody pending further investigations and trial. Attempts by his legal team to halt the extradition through Germany's Constitutional Court were ultimately unsuccessful. His case will now proceed under the Moroccan judicial system. Boudrika, who previously served as an MP before being stripped of his parliamentary mandate by Morocco's Constitutional Court in January, has now been taken to Ain Sebaa prison – commonly known as Oukacha. He is expected to appear before an investigative judge at Casablanca's Court of Appeal to face the charges, chief among them issuing bad checks. In a prior ruling, Boudrika was convicted in absentia by the Ain Sebaa court and handed a one-year suspended sentence along with a fine of MAD 232,500. Further legal proceedings will now unfold on Moroccan soil. Tags: Mohamed BoudrikaRaja Athletic Club
