The refusal to broadcast images of Congolese supporters related to the genocide in the Eastern part of the DRC during the DRC vs. Ivory Coast semi-final has sparked numerous reactions.

Charles Mbuya, a Congolese journalist at Canal +, responding to one of his followers on Facebook explained: "The organizer of the competition, namely CAF, does not want the matches to serve as a platform for political or advertising positions other than those previously authorized. "The goal, according to our compatriot, is to preserve the sporting aspect of the event."

For Charles Mbuya, FIFA's regulations prohibit players from displaying slogans other than their name on their jersey. This is also applicable in stadiums for any unapproved message.

Although these rules can be debated, they must be acknowledged and broadcasters should not be blamed for complying. "Canal+ simply applied the framework desired by the organizer by not filming the Congolese supporters," he notes.

Sébastien Desabre praises the "courage" of Congolese supporters

As a reminder, more than 600 supporters of the DRC Leopards showed their support for their team during the semi-final of the African Cup of Nations (CAN) against Ivory Coast last Wednesday, February 7, at the Alassane Ouattara stadium and wanted to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in the east of the country.

With black t-shirts and banners bearing the inscription "Stop genocide in Eastern DRC," the Congolese supporters took advantage of the Leopards' semi-final match to convey this strong message.

However, their images were not broadcast by CAF's partner channels, which held the broadcasting rights for the match.

This caused anger and confusion in the DRC, where many accuse the African Football Confederation of complicity with Western powers that remain deaf to the massacres that have been grieving North Kivu for years. Others defend Canal+ by invoking its desire to not politicize football.

Nevertheless, the Congolese supporters claimed this "moral victory" over the media, while their team ultimately lost 1-0 to the Elephants of Ivory Coast.

For his part, Coach Sébastien Desabre, the selector of the Leopards, praised the "courage" of these supporters who managed to get their message across despite the silence of the cameras.

Boni Tsala