Rabat – Beyond being Morocco’s pride as a champion, Soufiane El Bakkali is now the President of the Athletes’ Commission within the Moroccan National Olympic Committee (CNOM), after receiving a unanimous vote of approval on Sunday.
“This is a great initiative… I am happy to be here, and I am happy to be elected as the president of this committee,” El Bakkali said following the vote.
He added that he will work with all committee members to serve athletes’ needs and demands.
“We want the athlete’s voice to be heard through a roadmap that we are going to work with, and this committee will serve to make the athlete heard,” he said, adding that he sees his election coming at the right moment.
“I see this is the right moment to enter this field, thanks to the experience I gained. This is pride for me to enter this field,” El Bakkali added, noting that he has a new vision that he would like to share with other committee members so they can work together to serve Morocco and its representation.
El Bakkali has represented Morocco in many international competitions, winning prestigious awards – including in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where he secured gold in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase. Also part of his Olympic accolades, he took gold in the Tokyo Games in 2020.
The two-time Olympic and world champion came second in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2022 Diamond League in Xiamen in China.
The Moroccan runner also claimed gold medals at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in 2023 and Eugene, the US, in 2022.
