Rabat – A global forum in Rabat has convened officials, who emphasized the need for security and sports institutions to intensify efforts to safeguard major sporting events.
Morocco’s capital hosted the International Scientific Forum on Security of Major Sporting Events today to discuss several themes, including security and legal challenges in the era of digital transformation.
Kahlid bin Abdulaziz Al-Harfash, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, recalled that sports face numerous challenges, including fanaticism, racism, hatred, and violence during sports events.
These challenges prevent sports from achieving their full potential and noble objectives, argued Al-Harfash, the university’s vice president for external relations.
“This reality requires security and sports institutions to bolster their efforts to address such a crisis through scientific and practical solutions,” he added.
For Alharfash, sports serve as an effective tool to promote peace and development objectives, citing the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
The three-day event comes as Morocco is hosting the AFCON and is preparing to co-organize the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal. It convened ministers, senior officials, and experts representing different parties, including FIFA, Interpol, the Council of Europe, and the African Union Commission, among others.
In his opening remarks, Alharfash also listed sports’ growing role in fostering security and peace by supporting tolerance values and coexistence among peoples and societies.
The Ministry of Justice, in partnership with the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in Saudi Arabia, are co-organizing the event alongside the General Directorate of National Security, the High Command of the Royal Gendarmerie, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, with the support of the UN Office of Counterterrorism.
Also supporting the event are the International Organization for Migration and the Arab Police Sports Federation.
Morocco’s security model in sports events has inspired many international partners, who frequently applauded the country’s efforts.
Recently, a high-level FBI delegation visited Morocco to examine the Moroccan national security directorate’s security protocols for AFCON.
