Raja Club Athletic (Arabic: نادي الرجاء الرياضي, romanized: Nādī ar-Rajāʾ ar-Riyāḍī) commonly referred to as Raja CA, is a professional sports club based in Casablanca, Morocco.
This chronological list comprises all those who have managed the club since its foundation on 20 March 1949. Each president's entry includes his dates of tenure, the significant achievements accomplished under his care and some remarks concerning his spell.
Raja CA is owned and run by its members (in Arabic: المنخرطين) since its founding. They elect the president in a general assembly. The president has the responsibility for the overall management of the club, including formally signing contracts with players and staff. Abdellah Rhallam [fr] is the longest-serving president of the club (9 years, from 1992 to 1998 and from 2007 to 2010). He's also, tied with Ahmed Ammor, the most successful president (6 trophies).
History
Raja CA has been led by a provisional commission instead of a president twice, the first was managed by Abdellah Rhallam [fr] in 2007, and the second by Mohamed Aouzal [fr] in 2018. The longest-serving president is Abdellah Rhallam (1992-1998, 2007–2010).
The founders (1949–60)
Elected on March 20, 1949, the Franco-Algerian Hajji Ben Abadji [fr] is the first president in the club's history, although he's not actually among the founders. Owner of a contract drafting office in Derb Sultan, he was suggested by his Algerian friend Rihani to circumvent the French law who prohibited, at the time of the Protectorate, the presidency of a sports club to a Moroccan citizen.[1]
Meanwhile, Moulay Sassi Aboudarka Alaoui is designated honorary president. Ben Abadji remains the first and only non-Moroccan president. In its early years, Raja was managed by presidents who belonged to the founding assembly, such as Boujemaâ Kadri and Laâchfoubi El Bouazzaoui.
In 1960, UMT became the main sponsor of Raja CA, which became in some way its representative on the football pitch and many members of the union played for the club. The club's first title won in 1974 was offered to Mahjoub Ben Seddik [fr], founder and historic leader of UMT.[5]
After a recomposition of the committee during the 1961 general assembly, several personalities who have greatly contributed to the club were awarded with honorary status :[6]
Abdellatif Semlali, president between 1978 and 1981
However, this unionist tendency did not prevent the integration of personalities belonging to other political currents such as Abdelouhahed Maâch [fr], Abdellatif Semlali [fr] or Mohamed Abied [fr] who served as a treasurer of the club during the 1970s.[7]
The « wise council » (1989–2012)
Between 1989 and 2012, five persons who are Abdelhamid Souiri [fr], Mohamed Aouzal [fr], Abdellah Rhallam [fr], Ahmed Ammor and Abdesalam Hanat, take turns the presidency of Raja for 23 years (with the exception of Ahmed Ammor who performed only one spell). With Abdelkader Retnani, they formed the « wise council », an advisory committee at the disposal of the president.[8][9][10] After the resignation of Abdesalam Hanat, Mohamed Boudrika [fr] was elected on June 7, 2012, at the head of the club, and became, at the age of 28, the youngest president of club's history. He arrived with large financial resources and promised a new era.[11][12]
Modern era (2012–)
Coming to the end of his four-year term, Mohamed Boudrika was replaced in June 2016 by Said Hasbane who stated upon his arrival that the club was in financial crisis.[13] On April 6, 2018, due to popular pressure from supporter and club members, Said Hasbane resigned from his position.[14]
Former president Mohamed Aouzal [fr] set up a provisional committee to manage the club until the end of the season. On September 13, 2018, Jawad Ziyat [fr] is elected new president of Raja CA.[15] He promises to continue the work of the previous committee, adding that he will do his best to get the club out of his financial crisis.[16]
On November 15, 2020, Ziyat met his committee by video-conference to inform them of his decision to end his mandate. On December 14, 2020, Rachid Andaloussi [fr] succeeded him as an interim president.[17] Unanimously elected in June 2022, Aziz El Badraoui [fr] resigns after one year due to poor results.
Elected in May 2023, Mohamed Boudrika is the current president of Raja Club Athletic.
President designation
It is the members who elect by vote, the president of the Raja Club Athletic at the end of the general assembly, whether it's ordinary or extraordinary.[18]
The ordinary general meeting takes place every year and has as main objectives the discussion and approval of the moral and financial reports of the past season, and the election of a new president if the mandate of the outgoing one comes to an end or if the committee resigns. The extraordinary general assembly is held in case of emergency under the request of the majority of the members or of the president himself.[19][20]
The club's internal law set no limit to the number of terms allowed for the president, and set the length of a term at four years. Since 1998, only Ahmed Ammor and Mohamed Boudrika have completed their four-year terms.
In the case of a resignation of the president, article 23 of chapter 4 of the club's law say that the first vice-president, if he expresses the will and if no candidate appears, will preside the club on interim until the next assembly.[21]
Committee
Article 23 states: "In addition to the president, the management committee must contain between 9 and 15 members. Among them are elected: a first and a second vice-president, a general secretary and his assistant, a treasurer and his assistant and between 3 and 9 advisers.
The president have to constitute his committee and announcing it within a period which generally does not exceed fifteen days according to article 20 of the club's statutes.[22][23][24][25] All club positions, including president, are honorary and without any financial compensation.
In 2020, Société anonyme Raja Club Athletic is created under the supervision of the Minister of Youth and Sports with a capital divided into 3000 shares. The Raja Club Athletic association is the majority shareholder of the S.A with 2984 shares, while a single share is granted as a loan to each member of the committee, then 16 in number. The shares do not belong to them, once a member leaves the committee, he must transfer his share to the association, that means that no one really owns the share.[26][27]
List of presidents
Below is the official presidential history of Raja CA, from Hajji Ben Abadji until the present day.
In March 1949, club founders wanted to keep the club independent from any colonial influence, because France, at the time of the protectorate, were prohibiting the club's presidency to a Moroccan citizen. The founders circumvent this law by leaving the chair to Ben Abadji, an Algerian living in Casablanca who had the French nationality. The French were forced to accept. He remains the first and only non-Moroccan president of the club.
He ensured the administrative organization of the club's creation. Under his presidency, Raja boycotted the triangular tournament decided by the FRMF at the end of the 1960 Botola. Raja, Kenitra AC and AS FAR finished tied in terms of points, but the title should have been given to Raja because they had the largest goal difference.
Vice-president of Cherfaoui, he revolutionized the management of the club. Under his presidency, Raja won its first championship and signed its first sponsorship deals.
Upon his election, Raja won the African Cup of Champions. He resigned before the end of his term to chair the general committee in charge of all sections.
With only one term, he's the club's most successful president with 6 trophies (tied with Abdellah Ghallam). He was appointed Honorary President on November 25, 2002.
He was re-elected for a four-year term with 62 votes against 42 for Zakaria Semlali, son of former president Abdellatif Semlali. He resigned a year after for health reasons.
Vice president under Hanat, he was elected unanimously after the withdrawal of Zakaria Semlali. He established the first club legal committee of the league. He resigned before the end of his mandate.
He was finally voted almost unanimously by the members. He's the longest-serving president. He's also the most successful president with 6 trophies tied with Ahmed Ammor. He retired without resigning.
He's the youngest president of the club's history, elected at 28 years and 9 months. His tenure was marked by a large number of transfers and the launch of the Raja Academy project. The team earned their second Botola-Throne Cup double and reached the World Cup final. First president to complete his quadrennial since Ahmed Ammor.
He announced upon his election that the club has to much dept. Inside an unprecedented financial crisis, he resigned under huge pressure from members and supporters.
He significantly rectified the club's accounts, which posted its first positive net result since 2015. Under his presidency, the club switched to public limited company status, with the retention of the Raja CA association, the main shareholder with 2,984 shares. He resigned for personal reasons.
A member of Souiri's committee between 2004 and 2007 and vice-president under Jawad Ziyat, he served as interim president in accordance with chapter 4 of the club's statutes.
Secretary-general under Ziyat, he was elected by majority after winning the ballot with 95 votes, ahead of Jamaleddine Khalfaoui (44 votes) and Redouane Rami (17 votes). He announces his resignation on May 16, 2022, and convenes a GA^ a month later.
^MATIN, Abderrahmane Ichi, LE. "Sélections nationale U23". lematin.ma (in French). Retrieved 2023-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
