Rabat – Moroccan runner and cyclist Karim Mosta has announced he will do a 6000 km cycling journey from Amsterdam to Dakar, with the objective of spreading discourse to counter violence in all forms.
“We must stop the messages of hatred and violence, especially on social networks. This is the main objective of this event,” Mosta told Morocco’s Press Agency (MAP).
The athlete plans to address the issue during conferences and talks on the sidelines of his tour.
The two and a half month adventure will start on May 8 in Amsterdam and end in Dakar on July 25. Mosta will cross seven countries including Belgium, France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal.
Mosta chose Ajax stadium in Amsterdam to begin the tour as a dedication to the Dutch-Moroccan footballer Abdelhak Nouri.
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The Ajax midfielder fell into a coma in July 2017 after suffering from severe brain damage and heart issues. Nouri collapsed on the field during a friendly game.
In March 2020, Nouri regained consciousness after more than two years. Football fans and players were touched by Nouri’s story.
In reference to Nouri, Mosta said, “I will visit his family and parents before starting my journey.”
The Amsterdam-Dakar cycling challenge comes after an 8000 km challenge that Mosta did in May-August 2019.
The Moroccan athlete has participated in 150 sporting challenges in 135 countries. The two-time world champion of Ultramarathon successfully completed 29 editions of Ouarzazate’s Marathon des Sables.
He also ran under extreme conditions in the Himalayas and Amazon rainforest as well as the Death Valley in the US and the Titicaca lake in Peru.
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