In a spiritually fragrant religious atmosphere, the space of “Lanoria Sports Club” (Mohammedia suburb) hosted yesterday, Saturday, a seminar on the topic “Sports Serving National Causes” as well as a tribute ceremony organized by the Royal Moroccan Federation of Sports for All honoring a group of sports journalists and former sports stars.
On this occasion, the Federation held a collective Ramadan iftar in their honor, where they gathered under one roof; the event included clear verses from the Holy Quran, supplications, and prophetic praises in this blessed month.
After the national anthem was played, the President of the Federation, Mrs. Nozha Badouane, took the floor, stating that the seminar “Sports Serving National Causes” is the third of its kind after the 2024 and 2025 seminars on “Physical Movement: A Fundamental Lever for Development” and “Traditional Games: Ancestral Heritage a Trust on the Grandchildren’s Shoulders.”
She considered that if sport was yesterday an effective tool of the Moroccan people’s struggle against the protectorate authorities for freedom and independence and a successful means to frame and organize youth within the framework of political work, it has now become a soft power. Sports diplomacy has become a fundamental dimension in the thinking of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God preserve and protect him, and an extremely important strategy to enhance the international radiance and openness of the noble Kingdom, which contributes to strengthening its position among peoples and nations and consolidating its leadership.
She reiterated that sports and media are like two wings of the same bird; considering that national sports media, with its various types and genres, is a strategic partner of the Federation, always keen to involve it to accompany its various activities, whether related to national convoys, sports days, or awareness campaigns, thus contributing to delivering the concept of sports for all to every Moroccan home and spreading sports culture across different segments of society and age groups.
She noted that journalists are “star makers” who are used to shining a light on players, managers, and those responsible for the sports sector “and deserve today to have the spotlight on them and be honored for their professional dedication and long career that witnessed the transformations of the national, continental, and global sports scene.”
The seminar featured interventions by Hassan Al-Basri (Al-Akhbar Newspaper and Head of the Sports Section at Telemaroc Channel), Hassan Al-Atafi (Editor-in-Chief of several national newspapers), Munsif Al-Yazghi (sports media professional and expert in sports policies), Idriss Al-Dhawi (Director of the Sports Professions Institute – Ibn Tofail University), and Mohamed Aziz Dawuda (sports expert and technical director responsible for development at the African Athletics Confederation).
The speakers unanimously agreed on the importance of sport in serving national causes from the protectorate era to the new era in which sports diplomacy has become a soft power to defend the country’s causes and firmly confront the maneuvers of enemies of the Kingdom’s territorial unity.
They concluded that the challenges Morocco will face in organizing the 2030 FIFA World Cup together with neighboring Spain and Portugal require more diligence, serious, and effective work, considering that
sports diplomacy currently represents a strategic bet for countries, regardless of their ideological orientations, to extend their radiance globally and secure a seat among the narrow circle of parties involved in international decision-making and strive to create a cohesive and integrated national narrative instead of importing it from abroad.
To establish a culture of loyalty and recognition, the Federation has committed to making this Ramadan celebration an annual tradition to honor a group of legends and stars of national sports who have written bright pages in the history of national sports and an elite group of sports journalists who have significantly contributed to the radiance of national sports and enriched the media and sports movement in the Kingdom. A number of sports journalists were honored, foremost among them the “icon of national and Arab sports media Mohamed Benis,” nicknamed the poet of sports, who introduced a different literary language into sports coverage, blending literature and sports in his writings. He said, “I have refined sports and tamed literature.”
It is said that in moments of tribute, the value of men is measured and the extent of sincere giving is known. The moment of honoring Mr. Mohamed Benis, one of the pioneers, by the President of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Sports for All, Mrs. Nozha Badouane, and taking a group photo with colleagues present in the hall was very touching.
Thus, Ahmed Al-Khayyat (one of the pioneers of sports photojournalism), Mohamed Benarabia (editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Libération”), Fouad Al-Hanawi (head of the sports section at Medi 1 Radio), and Siham Al-Boush (journalist at the Sports Channel) were honored.
Also honored were Moulay Ibrahim Boutayeb, the youngest runner who gifted the Arabs the only gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics in the 10,000 meters race; the world champion Zahra Waaziz, who gave Morocco medals in cross-country, indoor, and track running; Rachid El Basir (runner-up at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in the 1500m); Ibrahim Lahlafi (bronze in the 5000m at the Sydney Olympics); Adel El-Kouch (world youth champion in 1500m in Annecy 1998 and world runner-up in 1500m in Helsinki 2005); Abdel Ati Ikidir (bronze medalist at the 2012 London Olympics and bronze at the 2015 World Championship in 1500m in Beijing); and Abdelrazak Khairi (top scorer of the national team at the Mexico 1986 World Cup with two goals).
In tribute to managerial figures, the Federation awarded a commemorative plaque of recognition and appreciation to the reference manager Haj Saeed Belkhayat, former president of Morocco’s Maghreb de Fès, former member of the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football, and current executive director of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sports Champions.
The honors were supervised by the Federation’s president, its board members, and a number of media and sports figures.
At the beginning of the ceremony, a documentary film was shown that summarized in sound and image the most prominent activities carried out by the Federation during the 2024-2025 season, including sports convoys, sports days, traditional games, “Women’s Steps to Victory,” sports convoy in rural areas, sports, educational and recreational activities inside prisons and schools, and the symbolic relay race of the “Green March,” organized under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God grant him victory and assistance, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the glorious Green March.
