Morocco refers two suspects to court in relation to Qatar WC tickets scandal

Moroccan police have referred two suspects in relation to the Qatar World Cup ticket smuggling scandal, five months after the launch of a major national investigation.

On Monday, the Moroccan Judicial Police referred a sports senior official and a sports journalist working for a private radio station to the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Appeal in Casablanca.

Local media said the sport's official is Mohammed El-Hidaoui, who is an MP from the ruling party of the National Rally of Independents (RNI) and a manager of a football club in the Moroccan city of Safi.

The two individuals are suspected of being involved in the case of smuggling the Qatar 2022 World Cup into the black market, which left hundreds of the Atlas Lions fans unable to witness their national team's triumph in the Cup.

Amid the World Cup, Moroccan Royal Football Federation (FRMF) bought hundreds of tickets to distribute them freely among Moroccan fans who flocked to Qatar as the Atlas Lions achieved the unexpected and reached the quarter-finals after defeating Spain.

However, the Moroccan euphoria was mired with anger and disappointment after fans who spent hundreds of dollars to arrive in Qatar were unable to collect the free tickets they were promised.

At the time, many took to social networks accusing officials in the FRMF of fraud and of "ruining the Moroccan team's legacy."

A live stream on Bein Sports channel showed Moroccan fans in Qatar chanting in protest of the tickets scandal naming and shaming several Moroccan renowned football senior officials.

The recent investigation led to the revealed suspects based on testimonies from people who obtained the 'shady tickets', tracking the money transitions that reportedly led to the politically involved club manager and the journalist whose name was not revealed.

In March 2023, Fouzi Lakjaa, head of FRMF, vowed to "end the career" of those responsible for the fiasco.

Authorities say the investigation is still ongoing to identify other suspects.