Rabat – Spanish runner Mohamed Katir gave a statement following his qualification to the final of the Men’s 5,000 meter competition final, saying that he is not Moroccan, but Spanish, and that he represents Spain.
The runner’s origins had sparked controversy in Spain after another athlete, Isaac Viciosa, expressed his preference for the domestic record “to be broken by someone with a Spanish name.”
Katir subsequently put out an Instagram post where he criticized Viciosa for his remarks and expressed pride in his Moroccan origins.
Katir, who was born in Morocco but immigrated to Spain with his family as a young child, had broken Viciosa’s record in the 3,000 meter steeplechase earlier this year, finishing with a time of 7 minutes and 27 seconds, which prompted Viciosa’s statements.
Katir also holds the records for the 1,500 and 5,000 meter races and is representing Spain in the ongoing Tokyo Games, having qualified to the final in the 5,000 meter race.
Jose Manuel Franco, the President for the High Council of Sports in Spain had also criticized Viciosa’s comments in a tweet that called for tolerance and promoted inclusion in Spanish sports.
Viciosa had put out a statement apologizing for his comments, claiming that journalists had inaccurately portrayed the statements he made.
He has also since apologized for distracting Katir with the controversy in the midst of his preparations for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
