An Algerian news source gave some of the reasons whey Sedjati failed to win gold :
Going into the final, Sedjati had been carrying a calf injury.
His coach's 18 year old daughter, who studies in Paris, was locked up in a police cell for 48 hours, during the semi-final. She also had her smartphones and laptop seized.
The French police raided Sejdati's room in the Olympic Village the day before the first round heats.
A useless provocation. A dirty trick, prepared for a long time with the aim of disrupting the concentration of Algerian athletes, but which ended up making a big splash. We knew that our delegation would not be welcome had it not been for the Paris Olympic Games and that dark circles would not hesitate to tarnish the image of our country. The target was chosen, and it was simply a question of timing. Thus, of all the questions that could be asked following this cabal against one of the greatest 800m runners of all time, the cleanest of them all, only one should attract and deserve our attention: how the French security authorities knew that the daughter (18 years old) of Djamel Sedjati's coach was studying in Paris and living in a small studio. It is from this question that we can discuss this new frontal attack against our Olympic medalist.
Act 1: The day before the first round of the 800m, the French gendarmerie (apparently in charge of the fight against doping) arrives at the Olympic Village with a warrant to search Djamel Sedjati's room. This was done and no medication was found. Not even a suppository or a Viagra tablet. Nothing, nada. Sedjati is used to these provocations and despite 7 urine and blood tests over the last 3 weeks, he knows that he will spend his life convincing people that he is clean, because he has a major handicap: he is Algerian. The gendarmes, who are also part of the Central Office for the Fight against Attacks
on the Environment and Public Health (OCLAESP), leave the place while explaining that they were only doing their job. However, the Olympic Village apparently benefits from Olympic immunity, and the police are not allowed to enter without the IOC's permission. However, the international body had not been informed.
Act 2: The next day, at 6am, the French police, not the gendarmerie, arrive at the studio where the daughter of coach Amar Benida was staying. Looking for medication, the police found Telfast (anti-allergy), Panadol (menstrual pain) and Supradyn and nothing more, in short, medication taken by the young girl and which will not make you run the 800m in 1'41''. Here again, the French police explain that they were only doing their job.
Act 3: But while the girl expected the police to apologize and leave, they confiscate her phone and laptop. Then, they ask her to follow them to the police station where she will be held for 48 hours for nothing. No charges will be brought against her, because there is nothing. After 48 hours of detention, she will be released. Putting pressure on an athlete, by imprisoning his coach's daughter, the day before an Olympic semi-final. This is unheard of!
Act 4: At the very moment that Sedjati was running his semi-final, his coach's daughter was in the hands of the police. He didn't know whether to focus on the race, on the fate of the young girl or on his calf injury that he had been dragging around for 10 days. And since that moment, we were expecting this release from the newspaper L'EQUIPE, whose specialty it is (clickbait title but empty content), in order to create a buzz. Remember the Taoufik Makhloufi affair.
Act (reminder): It was headlines, accusations to create buzz and all that to finally end up in court which announced a dismissal of the case. The sports daily, which was already losing momentum, never published the slightest press release or article confirming the innocence of the gold medalist, Taoufik Makhloufi. Strange in a country where slander and false information are condemnable.
Today, the case is in the hands of the lawyers, and L'ÉQUIPE will end up paying a high price for this gross manipulation, because the file is empty. Archivide. This is a case fabricated from anonymous letters received by the police. Today, it is up to Sedjati and his trainer to think only of beating the world record in the next 2 or 3 races. So, they must not waste any energy on their return to Algiers, because the season is not over. The following question remains to be answered: Who, apart from the Dely Brahim annex stadium, knew that the daughter of the trainer Benida lived in Paris?
In short, Algeria is fortunate to have one of the greatest 800m athletes of all time and a coach who would happily be ranked on the world's podium of coaches. Both must continue to benefit from all the necessary assistance and help from the country's highest officials. There is no doubt about that.
