Parliament set to question Minister on Morocco’s Olympic Performance as calls for accountability mount

Morocco’s House of Representatives is set to scrutinize the country’s disappointing performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics following a request to Minister of National Education, Primary Education, and Sports Chakib Benmoussa. The request, submitted on Thursday, seeks a committee meeting to discuss the outcomes of the Games and the management of public funds allocated to sports universities.

The request has been forwarded to Rachid Talebi Alami, president of the first chamber of parliament, who is expected to schedule the meeting for early September. The delay is due to many MPs being on vacation through the end of August.

Once a date is set, Benmoussa will be questioned by the Education, Culture, and Communication Committee, along with other relevant figures including Fayssal Larraichi, president of the Moroccan National Olympic Committee, and the heads of sports universities.

Chajri, head of the Education, Culture, and Communication Committee, indicated that the minister might be asked to bring the presidents of sports universities to the meeting, as stipulated by constitutional and procedural requirements.

This will ensure a comprehensive discussion on the management and use of public financial support in relation to the Olympic performance.

The opposition parties, along with parliamentary majority groups, have emphasized the legal and constitutional basis for this review. They argue that inviting university presidents to the meeting aligns with the rules of procedure, as confirmed by a recent Constitutional Court decision.

The court’s ruling affirmed that the new rules permit standing committees to request input from experts and representatives of organizations, although some provisions were found to be constitutionally problematic.

The joint request from parliamentary parties calls for an examination of how public funds were spent and managed, particularly in light of Morocco’s underwhelming Olympic results. The goal is to ensure transparency and accountability in the allocation of resources to sports universities.

As the parliamentary committee prepares to address these issues, the focus remains on understanding the shortcomings of Morocco’s Olympic performance and improving future outcomes.