By Chaymaa Benallouch
Rabat – Morocco’s state-owned phosphate company, OCP, has signed an agreement in Khouribga to give a grant of MAD 10 million to support the football club Rapid Oued Zem.
The agreement was initialed by the Regional Director of OCP Group, Brahim Ramdani, and the President of Rapid Oued Zem, Amine Nouara, in the presence of the Governor of Khouribga Province, Abdelatif Chedali.As part of the deal OCP contributed MAD 5 million to the management of the club during the next season, as well as MAD 5 million to the redevelopment of the municipal football stadium in Oued Zem.
On this occasion, Chedali welcomed the good performance of the team, which is promoted in Botola Maroc Telecom D1, and praised the “great efforts made by the players, members of the club’s executive board, local authorities, security services and supporters of the team.”
The Governor of Khouribga, emphasized the need for the Rapid Oued Zem club to have a football stadium that meets professional standards, so that its team can continue its momentum and achieve greater performances. Nouara confirmed that the support of OCP should allow the club to fulfill its aspirations to form a team strong enough to achieve good results in Botola Maroc Telecom D1 and in the Coupe du Trône. The governing board had developed a well-defined program at the beginning of the season to play the leading roles, he said, which resulted in the historic rise in D1.
The good leadership of the team and the fighting spirit of the players, in addition to the encouragement of the fans, contributed to the success of the team’s project, Nouara added.
He continued that the club’s governing board has decided to set up a football school for children who are 10 years old or more and thus meet the criteria and standards of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation in terms of coaching and training.
Rapid Oued Zem took the lead in D1 after finishing first in the D2 championship with 50 points (13 wins, 11 draws and 6 defeats).
