Criminals stab coach, spray pepper spray on players

Coach of ASM Oran team (Algeria), Salem Laoufi had an accident while at Habib Bouakeul stadium.

The incident happened in the stadium parking lot on July 29. A group of criminals used knives to seriously injure coach Laoufi, and also sprayed pepper spray at players who rushed to help.

Coach Laoufi was hospitalized in the city of Oran with many injuries. But fortunately, his life is not in danger.

Coach Laoufi during a training session of ASM Oran.

A source told the Sun newspaper that the incident may have stemmed from a conflict between the coach and the stadium director. The two had previously clashed over training times.

“We suspect the stadium director organized the attack on the coach,” the source said. Algerian police are investigating the incident.

ASM Oran is one of the oldest teams in Algeria. The Habib Bouakeul team was founded in 1933 and won second place in the national championship in 1991. ASM Oran also reached the National Cup final twice in 1981 and 1983.

ASM Oran has not been playing well recently. The team was relegated to the second division and only ranked tenth out of 16 competing teams.

According to VNE