Kansas town embraces Algeria at the World Cup as the nation itself grapples with human rights record

“Respect,” Algeria captain and Manchester City player Riyad Mahrez told the people of Lawrence, shortly before Lionel Messi scored a hat trick and Argentina beat them 3-0 last week to start the tournament, “and thank you so much for the welcome.”

Yet the feel-good story of a town and a team comes at a complex time for Algeria. More than 5,000 miles from the World Cup, human rights advocates say, authorities have been cracking down on protests, social media and other forms of public dissent.

That includes the detention of French journalist Christophe Gleizes on what critics call trumped-up charges of “advocacy of terrorism.”

It is but another example of how politics and sports often intersect on the world's biggest stages.

“He is a soccer journalist and nothing but a soccer journalist,” Gleizes’ parents, Sylvie and Francis Godard, said in a statement. “This never-ending situation is devastating for us. We once again appeal to President (Abdelmadjid) Tebboune to grant clemency so that Christophe may regain his freedom, his family and his job as a sports journalist, as soon as possible."

Rolling out the welcome mat in Kansas

Algeria is one of four countries whose home base is in the Kansas City area, albeit 40 miles west of the metro. But while Argentina, the Netherlands and England have been treated as if they were family by the smallest host city for the World Cup, the bond struck between Algeria and Lawrence has been something else entirely.

Players shot hoops at Allen Fieldhouse, the historic home of the Jayhawks. They tossed footballs at Memorial Stadium. Signs posted in Arabic around town encourage the Algerian players, who in turn spend their free time kicking balls around with local youths.

“The more we learned of the challenges Algerians faced to get here, the stronger our commitment became to show how welcoming our city could be,” said Ruth DeWitt, the director of community relations for city's convention and visitors bureau.

“They quickly became our home team,” DeWitt said. “Businesses have Algerian flags, banners and merchandise in windows. Schools and summer camps have done projects learning about Algeria, organizations have made welcome videos and our arts programs have created public displays that focus on soccer and the international connections between people.”

Just as the Algerian players have left their mark on Lawrence, so too have the locals left a mark on them.

“That first evening, seeing the fans waiting outside our hotel, it gave me goosebumps,” Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic said, “and it filled me with a source of pride. Then we had that opening training session as well, and we saw that there was so many U.S. citizens that had scarves for us. They showed so much support. And they really wanted to celebrate this moment.”

FIFA's president asks Algeria for a “great act of humanity”

As the World Cup was about to start, though, it was FIFA president Gianni Infantino himself who cast a spotlight on Gleizes, calling for the Algerian authorities to pardon him. The French writer has been detained since 2024 as part of a controversial seven-year sentence for “glorifying terrorism” and “possessing propaganda harmful to national interests."

FIFA granted Gleizes a media credential for the tournament and has symbolically left a seat open for him.

“I've invited his parents to a game,” Infantino said, “but I hope — I really hope — that in a great act of humanity, he will be given grace, the presidential grace, and can even join us here for the World Cup. But for the time he's not here, his seat is here for him.”

Gleizes was detained while investigating the death of an Algerian soccer player, Albert Ebosse. His appeal was rejected in December in a case Reporters Without Borders has called “unfounded and outrageous," and which critics say is an example of the way the Tebboune administration has muzzled the media, public activists and political debate.

Even while detained, Gleizes has been trying to do his job. During a recent news conference, Vincent Duluc of the daily L'Equipe told French coach Didier Deschamps that he was asking a question on his behalf about hydration breaks during the World Cup.

“Well,” Deschamps said, "as it regards Christophe, I had the opportunity during the final of the French Cup to meet his parents, and I hope for him and his family that he will be here as soon as possible, and be in a position to ask his questions himself.”

Algeria continues in World Cup with Jordan up Monday

Far from the courtrooms, prison cells and politics of Algeria, its national team — led by Mahrez, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Mohamed Amoura — will take the pitch once again Monday for a crucial Group J game against Jordan in Santa Clara, California.

It has been nearly a week since Les Fennecs lost to Argentina inside Arrowhead Stadium, not far from their Lawrence base. And even though 32 of the 48 teams in the World Cup will advance to the knockout phase, there is suddenly intense pressure to win.

Algeria has qualified for the tournament five times but has never advanced past the round of 16.

It did not qualify at all for the past two World Cups.

“To tell the truth,” Petkovic said, “we are used to having hundreds of thousands of (our) fans right behind us, and that's what is great about Algerian football. They not only get behind us, they put up with us, so many people. Some of the fans are very critical but they are still very happy and proud to get behind their nation and country.”

That sounds a lot like some folks in eastern Kansas, who have chosen to adopt Algeria for the duration of the World Cup.

“I hope that all the neutrals do cheer on Algeria,” Petkovic said, “because it's been a wonderful feeling. We've had a great helping hand. Even in our open training session, they really gave us some positive vibes, not only the Algerian people but also locals from the United States living in this area. We'll try to give them something back.”

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup