Nawal El Moutawakil was added to the hall of fame by the Women’s sports foundation in USA .
By MarocPost.net
October 21, 2006 12:00 AM

In a ceremonial atmosphere Nawal El Moutawakil was honored by the Women’s sports foundation and was added to the hall of fame of this prestigious organization.

Marocpost.net was present to witness this event and to talk to our champion about her impressions pertainign to her honoring and to ask questions about her career and projects.

Marocpost :“Nawal El Moutawakil, thank you for accepting to have this interview with us. Do you see progress being made in Moroccan sport and especial women’s sport since your achievement of 1984?”

Nawal El Moutawakil: “Yes and definitely, take for example the participation factor, in 1984 I was the only female in the Moroccan Olympic team but things have changed since then, after winning the gold medal in Los Angeles 1984, and immediately, Moroccan women’s participation became higher and higher each games. For example 1988 in Seoul there were 5 or 6 female participants. In 1992 we started to bring medals and we have been doing so since then, we reached a point where we have a variety of participation not only in track and field but also in wrestling, swimming, judo, Take wondoo and weight lifting. This shows that there is openness in regards to women’s participation because of the 1984 success and the political will in Morocco.”

Marocpost : “your experience and expertise belong to you but also to the Arab, Moroccan and African women, do you see yourself actively helping these women to perhaps follow your footsteps or to use you as role model.”

Nawal El Moutawakil: “I am currently active in this capacity with Moroccan organizations such as “l’association Marocaine de sport et developement” I do this because sport gave me a lot and I believe that as a citizen I need to give back, nowadays many ex-champions are doing the same thing, giving back to their country in order to complete their mission and I do so on a daily basis.”

Marocpost : “Football is number one sport in Morocco, although it did not reach the level of Moroccan athletics with world championships and gold medals in the Olympics. Do you believe that athletics is not getting its fair share and what can we do to even the balance?”

Nawal El Moutawakil: “Football is morocco’s number one sport and athletic is number two; this is the reality in morocco. But athletics in morocco is receiving more and more respect in morocco and if you compare the 1984 budget of $60,000 allocated to the Athletics federation with today’s budget, you’ll see that Athletics in morocco are much more important now than before and my personal opinion is: athletics is number one sport.”

Marocpost : “Your experience as head of the Olympic Committee for the 2012 games is tremendous and especially that it was a successful campaign, do you think that you can help Morocco with your insight in this field to perhaps organize major international games.”

Nawal El Moutawakil: “Morocco is bidding for the 2011 Special Olympics “for intellectually handicapped athletes” and I am in the bidding committee and I hope that my expertise and know-how will boost morocco’s chances.
I am also nominated chair person of the Arab confederation of sports supervising Arab games. My experience as head of the Olympic Committee will provide a certain insights to morocco, the Arab coutries and Africa.”

Marocpost : “Nawal El Moutawakil, what is your last word to Moroccans living abroad and especially in the USA and Canada.
Nawal El Moutawakil: “To be the best ambassadors for their country”

Marocpost : “Nawal El Moutawakil thank you for this opportunity.”

After receiving her award, Nawal El Moutawakil gave a speech. “…I would like to dedicate this award to all the girls, women and the children of this world who do not have the chance to play and enjoy sport, who do not have the chance to play and learn to perform and succeed…”

Nawal’s honoring comes in a time we Moroccans need to do more to recognize those who did so much for us as a nation, athletes, artists and activists because people like Nawal gave the Moroccan woman a new purpose in life: to be successful and to be equally as important as her follow man. Morocco needs all of it sons and daughters to prosper. For her inspiration to many Moroccan, Arab and African women we say thank you Nawal El Moutawakil.