Costa Adeje Tenerife Women Cancel Friendly Match Due to Political Tensions
The women's football team from Costa Adeje Tenerife has made the difficult decision to cancel their upcoming friendly match in Agadir, Morocco. This cancellation comes amid escalating tensions between Spain and Morocco, particularly highlighted by recent incidents in Ceuta. The Spanish central government has distanced itself from the situation, asserting that there has been no formal change in sporting exchanges between the two nations.
Reports from El Periódico Mediterráneo indicate that the Costa Adeje team, which is affiliated with CD Tenerife, was informed that they should avoid traveling after receiving guidance from state authorities. Team president Sergio Batista conveyed this information to the Canary Islands government, stating that the directive originated from CD Tenerife, which in turn was acting on instructions from higher government officials.
The decision to cancel the match is framed as a precautionary measure aimed at ensuring the safety of players, staff, and other personnel involved in the trip. This follows a recent increase in police presence at the Tarajal crossing in Ceuta, where there have been multiple incidents involving large groups attempting to cross the border. Notably, FC Barcelona had also scrapped a planned friendly in Morocco just a few days prior, citing security concerns.
Despite the cancellation, the Canary Islands government, a significant supporter of the friendly match, has expressed that they were not informed of any such plans to suspend the event. Vice-minister Octavio Caraballo emphasized that federations and clubs should lead decisions regarding match arrangements and urged against speculation surrounding the cancellation.
The Agadir friendly was intended to be the sixth and final match in the pre-season schedule for the blanquiazul side before they kick off their Liga F Moeve campaign on August 30. The original arrangements for this fixture had been set as early as June 27, and its cancellation marks a significant disruption in the team's preparation.
As reported by onefootball.com.
