Algeria: football player and coach die in accident

The goalkeeper and assistant coach of an Algerian L1 football team died on Wednesday evening in a bus accident in Tiaret (north-west), and ten other members of the team were injured, the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) announced.

"Goalkeeper Zakaria Bouziani and assistant coach Khaled Meftah of the Mouloudia d'El Bayadh team died and ten members of the club were injured," the FAF said in a statement.

The bus was "taking the team to Tizi-Ouzou (in the east of the country) ahead of their match against JS Kabylie on matchday 11", the FAF said.

The FAF has also "decided to suspend all football activities scheduled for this weekend throughout the country, in all divisions and categories, until further notice".

"The ceremony to draw lots for the 32nd and 16th finals of the Algerian Cup, scheduled for Tuesday 26 December 2023, has also been postponed to a later date", it added.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Sports Minister Abderrahmane Hammad both offered their condolences to the families of the victims.

In 2022, Algeria recorded more than 32,200 road accidents, causing more than 1,100 deaths and 40,000 injuries.