The Algerian Football Federation didn’t attend the 2023 CAF Awards in Morocco on Monday in protest over Riyad Mahrez’s exclusion in the final three nominees for the CAF Player of the Year.

Mahrez missed out in the final shortlist which had Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah and Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi.

Osimhen was the eventual winner at the awards ceremony, picking his first ever CAF’s top award.

President of the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) Walid Sadi boycotted the event and even called on fellow Algerians to disregard the ceremony in solidarity to Mahrez.

“I will not attend the CAF Awards ceremony. I have informed CAF of my decision, and, with the grace of God, no Algerian will be present at this event in solidarity with Riyad Mahrez and the Union Sportive de la Medina d’Alger,” he said at the press briefing ahead of the awards, as quoted by Draiz Tube.