Morocco in controversy ahead of 2030 FIFA World Cup. (Photo- GETTY)
Morocco has been facing a serious allegation, which is related to the preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Morocco, which jointly hosted the tournament with Spain and Portugal, has been accused of killing thousands of stray dogs. This will be only the second time that the World Cup will be organized on the African continent. But amid these preparations, the voices of animal rights organizations are becoming louder, which are claiming that large-scale slaughter is taking place in Morocco in the name of reducing the number of stray dogs.
Morocco in controversy before 2030 FIFA World Cup
Approximately three million stray dogs roam the streets of Morocco, which are considered a threat to public health and safety at the local level. According to animal welfare groups, the government plans to kill hundreds of thousands of dogs for the 2030 World Cup. Recent reports mention a horrific incident where a stray dog was shot in public. Apart from this, pictures of a pile of bloodied corpses and a newborn puppy being kicked to death have emerged.
A spokeswoman for the International Animal Welfare and Protection Coalition said the situation had worsened since Morocco was announced as co-host and was now out of control. This issue has become even more sensitive in view of the Africa Cup of Nations starting next month. According to a Telegraph report, the country’s government has been accused of killing thousands of stray dogs to ‘clean’ the roads.
Matches will be held in 6 cities of Morocco
During the World Cup 2030, matches will be held for six weeks in six cities of Morocco. Morocco’s football history has been quite illustrious. The African team, which made it to the finals for the first time in 1970, reached the knockout stage in 1986. In 2022, she was also successful in playing the semi-finals. But these achievements are now surrounded by controversies. However, the Moroccan government is rejecting these allegations outright. The Moroccan Embassy in London has also clarified that the killing of stray dogs has nothing to do with the World Cup. He claimed that more dog shelters would be established in five cities by the end of the year. At the same time, according to Rabat, the government does not support slaughter and the management of stray animals is left to local municipalities.