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Rabat – Former Moroccan Olympic hero Nawal El Moutawakil marked a triumphant return to the spotlight on Friday, securing her re-election as Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and reigniting hopes for Morocco’s success in Paris Summer Olympics 2024.
El Moutawakil also spotlighted the notable progress in female participation in the Olympics while claiming that the Paris 2024 Games will be the first in history to achieve gender parity.
“When I see how far we came from in 1984, when for the very first time, I competed in an event that was not allowed for women, which is the 400m hurdles, and all of a sudden now we see women running marathons like men, competing in boxing, in wrestling…We will witness a fantastic summer Olympic Games in Paris,” she said to the Olympics 2024 team.
“This is the happiest moment for me,” stated El Moutawaki. “The biggest achievement is to see that all International Federations are presenting women in their sport.”
“We will witness for the first time now in Paris 2024, almost equal opportunities for women in every field. I’m so glad to see this happening,” she added.
Read Also: Nawal El Moutawakel Elected Vice President of International Olympic Committee
In a statement to the Moroccan press, El Moutawakil, who previously served as Morocco’s Minister of Youth and Sports, declared, “I am proud to be re-elected as Vice-President of the IOC. This is a proud moment for Morocco and all the athletes from my country.”
El Moutawakil was elected to a four-year term to the IOC, a stark recognition of her commitment and numerous contributions and achievements in sports.
The athlete’s impressive career culminated in her being the first African, Arab and Muslim woman to win an Olympic gold medal and the first Moroccan athlete overall to secure gold.
She is a Moroccan champion, excelling in the 100m, 200m, and 400m hurdles between 1997 and 1978. She won gold in the 400m hurdles at the Mediterranean Games in Casablanca in 1983, Damascus and Zagreb in 1987.
Her extensive experience off the track includes roles with prominent international sports organizations, such as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and the International Committee of the Francophone Games, prior to her term as IOC Vice-President from 2012 to 2016.
“I thank my colleagues at the IOC who have placed their trust in me, especially the IOC President,” El Moutawakil said to the same source. “It is an honor and a responsibility to uphold the values of the Olympic movement.”
When asked about Morocco’s prospects for the Paris 2024 Olympics Committee, El Moutawakil voiced her strong desire for a Moroccan athlete to secure a medal. “I fervently hope that a Moroccan will win a medal and that I will have the honor of presenting it,” she stated.
“There is no better feeling than seeing the national flag raised high and hearing the national anthem played for any Moroccan, wherever they are,” she added.
Alongside El Moutawakil, the IOC elected Argentine Gerardo Werthein as Vice-President and welcomed eight new members to the committee, evenly split between four women and four men.
In 1998, El Moutawakil was appointed to the IOC and later served as chairwoman of the Evaluation Commission responsible for selecting the host cities for the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
