Rabat, Morocco – The unexpected exclusion of Egyptian artist Mohamed Ramadan from performing at the closing ceremony of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco has ignited widespread debate. Ramadan himself revealed details of what he described as unprofessional treatment, despite his full commitment to all artistic arrangements related to the tournament’s official song.
Ramadan stated that he fulfilled all requests promptly, from recording the song to traveling specifically to Morocco. However, he was surprised by the decision to exclude him without clear justification and at a sensitive time. According to the artist, his performance was initially moved from the opening ceremony to the closing ceremony due to reservations about an Egyptian artist participating in the opening of a tournament hosted by Morocco. Despite the unusual explanation, Ramadan accepted the decision, hoping to participate in the continental championship’s finale. However, he was informed just 24 hours before the final that he was completely removed from the program.
Rumors circulating suggest the exclusion was politically motivated rather than artistically driven, linked to tensions between Morocco and Egypt during the tournament. These reports point to a sudden shift in the Moroccan sentiment towards anything Egyptian during the competition. Evidence cited includes the booing of the Egyptian national anthem by a portion of the Moroccan crowd during a third-place match, as well as apparent support for teams competing against Egypt, which observers considered unprecedented in a continental tournament held on Arab soil.
Other sources link the strained relationship to comments made by Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan, who sparked controversy by criticizing the organization in Morocco and alleging attempts to favor a particular Arab team at the expense of others. This was seen as a public revelation of sensitive behind-the-scenes dealings, which did not go unnoticed. These sources believe that these statements contributed to a tense atmosphere and created excessive sensitivity towards any Egyptian presence in the tournament’s closing scene, including Mohamed Ramadan.
