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NEWSLETTER DECEMBER
2003
FEEL THE GAME IN THE MAGIC LAND OF MOROCCO !
M O R O C C O
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T E A M
P R O F I L E
Saad Kettani, President As a graduate of a prestigious French business school, Chairman of Wafa Assurances and Vice Chairman of WafaBank (two major North-African financial institutions), Saad Kettani is an eminent member of the Moroccan business community. Working in partnership with some of the leading figures in Morocco's private sector, since 1995, Kettani has overseen “Maroc Compétitif”, a think-tank devoted to proposing global socio-economic development strategies for Morocco. Saad Kettani has long had an interest in sports in general and in soccer in particular. In 1987, he initiated Morocco’s first large-scale sports sponsorship operation, when Wafabank, the bank he heads, entered into a major partnership with Wydad, one of Casablanca’s two big soccer clubs, breathing new life into the prestigious club. On April 28, 2003, King Mohammed VI entrusted this widely respected executive, who plays an active role in developing the Moroccan economy and is an avid soccer fan, with the task of heading up the country’s bid to host the 2010 World Cup.
Photos Credits Cover
:
©O.N.M.T.
Football
:
©Sportis, ©Badri
Stadiums
:
©Morocco 2010
News
:
©J.Bensouda, ©Morocco 2010,
Telephone
: +212 (0)22 50 93 80
©Loudiyi/Morocco 2010
Fax
: +212 (0)22 97 55 91
©O.N.M.T.
: contact@morocco-2010.org
©Teuler
Web
: www.morocco-2010.org
©Teuler
Address
: Zenith Millenium – Immeuble N°1
Meknes Other
: :
Contacts
©Morocco 2010
– Lot. Attaoufik Sidi Maârouf –
©O.N.M.T.
20 650 Casablanca - Morocco
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Jacques Chirac backs the Moroccan bid At a press conference in Rabat on Saturday, October 11, French President Jacques Chirac said that France was throwing its weight behind Morocco’s bid to host the 2010 World Cup. When asked whether support would be forthcoming for the project, the French President replied, “Yes”. This commitment was loudly applauded by those present. “When France won the right to host the World Cup, it did so in the face of competition from Morocco [...] and, in a way, I now feel that I owe something to Morocco,” said Chirac. Last June, the Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, also announced his country’s intention to provide “active support” for the Moroccan bid.
Moroccans’ commitment impresses FIFA commission
Large delegation submits Morocco's technical bid files to FIFA
A FIFA technical commission conducted a tour of inspection in Morocco between October 7 and 14, 2003.
On September 30, 2003, a large Moroccan delegation traveled to Zurich to meet Sepp Blatter and hand over Morocco’s technical application for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, along with all the contracts and guarantees required by FIFA. The Moroccan delegation included three Ministers –Karim Ghallab, Minister for Equipment and Transport; Adil Douiri, Minister for Tourism; and Nouzha Chekrouni, delegate Minister in charge of Moroccans Resident Abroad. Housni Benslimane, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, and Saad Kettani, President of the Morocco 2010 Committee, were also part of the delegation, whose size underlines the importance which Morocco attaches to its World Cup bid. The technical bid files compiled by Morocco 2010 addresses the FIFA specifications point by point and sets out Morocco’s vision for an African World Cup.
Strong presence of Morocco 2010 at Soccerex 2003 Morocco 2010 had a strong presence at the annual Soccerex 2003 football expo in the United Arab Emirates held on November 29 and 30. Soccerex is the world's leading football expo with conferences and exhibitions providing an annual meeting point for the most influential personalities in world football. Morocco 2010 was represented by a beautiful Moroccan-style pavilion offering to the exhibition visitors an opportunity to discover why Morocco is certainly the best place to organize TM the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The eight cities proposed by the country to host 2010 World Cup matches were visited by five FIFA inspectors, led by the Belgian Jan Peeters. Sports facilities, hospitals, hotels, transportation and communications infrastructure were all subjected to minute scrutiny by the five specialists. Throughout the week, the inspectors were able to appreciate the quality of the facilities available in Morocco and see at first hand some of the major infrastructure projects which have been changing the face of the country over the past several years. The FIFA inspectors stated that they were impressed by “the new Morocco being built”. What most impressed the delegation, however, was the extent to which the entire population of Morocco is united behind the country’s bid to host the World Cup. Everywhere they went, the inspectors noted the same all-pervasive enthusiasm. At a press conference in Marrakech, Jan Peeters, the head of the delegation, stated, “the FIFA commission was struck by the fact that the whole of Morocco – and, above all, the King and the Government – is behind this bid.” The inspectors saw this enthusiasm at first hand, in particular when they attended the match between the two big Casablanca clubs, Raja and Wydad, during the semi-finals of the "Throne Cup.” The excitement of the 60,000 spectators provided ample evidence of the Moroccan passion for soccer and the desire of the entire Moroccan population to host the 2010 World Cup.
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The “Morocco 2010” road show winds up its tour of the country After triumphant visits to seven of the eight cities proposed as hosts for World Cup matches, the th
Morocco 2010 road show concluded its tour in Fez on November 15 .
The road show, which was organized to boost support for Morocco’s bid to host the World Cup, featured a theme park, a museum of Moroccan soccer and a stage on which local groups gave concerts each evening. Each evening, thousands of people took part in the road show's many activities, which included five-man soccer, penalty shooting on inflatable platforms, soccer tennis, video games, painting workshops and quizzes. The Football Museum gave younger visitors an opportunity to discover the fascinating story of Moroccan soccer and learn why Morocco is a soccer-loving country par excellence. The road show's stage was brought to life in the evenings by groups of young musicians whose performances provided a further illustration of public support for the country's bid. "Morocco 2010" road show was a resounding success, with huge crowds at each stage of the nationwide tour showing their enthusiastic approval of their country’s ambition to host the 2010 World Cup.
Ramadan in 2010 On November 25, 2003, Moroccans celebrated the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The major feast of Aïd Esseghir marks the end of this month of fasting, prayer and reflection. As confirmed by the Moroccan Ministry of Islamic Affairs and by international observatories, the Month of Ramadan will commence, in 2010, on August 11th, a number of weeks after the World Cup ends.
Women rights in Morocco On Friday, October 10, 2003, King Mohammed VI addressed the Moroccan parliament, announcing series of measures aimed at reforming Moroccan Family Law.
This key reform enshrines equality of the sexes in Moroccan law and establishes the country as a beacon for the Arab-Muslim world with regard to women’s rights.
Raja of Casablanca wins CAF Cup November 23 - Raja, one of the two great football clubs from Casablanca, won the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup after defeating cameroon’s Cotonsport. It is the fourth continental title for Raja that has already won 3 African Champions Cup. It’s also the second CAF Cup for Moroccan football after the victory of Kawkab Marrakech in 1992.
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Accommodations
“Vision 2010” Morocco, a tourist destination par excellence, now offers more than 100,000 beds in star-rated hotels, and more than 2.5 million visitors come each year to enjoy the incomparable charms of this fascinating country. The hospitality of its people, 3,500 km of coastline, spectacular scenery and ancient towns steeped in history undoubtedly leave Morocco enormous leeway for further tourist development. In order to exploit this potential fully, King Mohammed VI launched the “Vision 2010” strategic tourist development program in January 2001 with the aim of making Morocco one of the world’s premier tourist destinations with a target of 10 million visitors in 2010. This objective implies a high degree of convergence between the requirements for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and the infrastructure development program underlinning “Vision 2010”. This strategy has already begun to bear fruit. Since the launch of “Vision 2010” in 2001, more than 15,000 new hotel beds have come on the market (a figure set to reach 20,000 by the end of 2003), and thousands of others have been renovated. In 2010, Morocco will have more than 250,000 hotel beds, including 180,000 located in or around the cities selected to host 2010 FIFA World Cup™ matches. Six new seaside resorts will provide a total of more than 40,000 hotel beds by 2010.
A wide range of accommodation facilities Morocco intends to ensure that the World Cup is a festive event accessible to a wide variety of people. To this end, the concept prepared by Morocco 2010 features a broad spectrum of accommodations options designed to meet the needs of the FIFA delegation, the teams, the media and the spectators. Star-rated hotels Morocco currently offers a wide range of hotels with between one and five stars. The most luxurious are internationally renowned. A good example is La Mamounia in Marrakech, whose patrons include some of the world’s most famous people, and which is considered as Africa’s finest hotel. Cruise ships Throughout the World Cup, magnificent cruise ships tied up in the ports of Tangiers, Casablanca and Agadir will provide over 10,000 people with unusual and luxurious accommodations. Campsites Soccer fans will also be able to enjoy the fun of camping at a large number of campsites, in particular those situated along the Atlantic coast. This option will provide visitors with a pleasant, inexpensive opportunity not only to attend the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ but also to enjoy Morocco’s natural beauty. "Riads" and guesthouse accommodation Throughout Morocco, magnificent old residences have been refurbished and converted to offer guesthouse accommodations. Known as “riads”, these houses offer exceptional, highly luxurious accommodations which will delight VIPs and other prestigious guests.
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M e k n e s The Romans began settling in the area of Meknes (Volubilis) somewhere around 40 A.D. Volubilis was a central administrative city for this part of Roman Africa, responsible for the grain producing in this fertile region.
Meknes Stadium Stade de Meknes
Meknes achieved its rank as an Imperial city in the 17th Century, when sultan Moulay Ismail, the contemporary of the French King Louis the 14th, decided to establish his residence there. During the 55 years of his rule, Moulay Ismail gave his insatiable passion for building free reign –nearly 25 kilometers of pounded mud walls, 20 monumental gates, palaces, subterranean prisons, barracks, warehouses, stables and aqueducts were built in Meknes alone. Following Moulay Ismail’s death, the sultan’s residence was relocated to Fez once again, as well as to Marrakech for a time. Beginning in 1912, Meknes gained in importance again under French colonial rule, when the administrators of the Protectorate made the city their main garrison. As French settlers also brought in capital and modern agricultural practices, the surrounding region of Meknes developed into a prospering center of farming.
The design for the Stade de Meknes features a two-level oval seating bowl. Situated near the “autoroute” to Fez, the Stadium will have a 45,000 gross capacity. Home of CODM, one of the most performant Moroccan clubs, it will welcome passionate groups of supporters.
Meknes was classified in 1996 as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. Today, Meknes stands in the middle of a flourishing agriculture area, surrounded by green, undulating, wooded hills covered with olive-trees and vineyards.
Total Gross Capacity
45,000
Construction commences
April 2005
Completion
March 2009
Distance from Airport
40 km
Distance from City Center
5 km
Facts about Meknes Population
578 500
Altitude above see level (m)
550
Average monthly temperature (C°)
June July
21 25
Days of precipitations of at least 5 mm
June July
2 0
Number of beds in classified hotels
Today 2 745 2010 4 741
Total number of beds available in Meknes in 2010 (including enterprise residences and campsites
13 100
Total number of beds within 75 km distance
30 800
T H E
S T A D I U M S
Stade d’Agadir Gross capacity : 45,000 Status : Stadium under construction process. Start of building works on December 22, 2003
Complexe Sportif de Fès Gross capacity : 45,000 Status : Existing stadium
Grand Stade de Casablanca Gross capacity : 95,000 Status : Construction commences in 2004
Stade de Marrakech Gross capacity : 70,000 Status : Stadium under construction. Excavation completed. Building of main structures started on late september
Stade Mohammed V- Casablanca
Stade de Meknès
Gross capacity : 50,000 Status : Existing stadium
Gross capacity : 45,000 Status : Construction commences in 2005
Complexe Moulay Abdallah - Rabat Stade d’El Jadida
Gross capacity : 52,000 Status : Existing stadium
Gross capacity : 45,000 Status : Construction commences in 2005
Stade de Tanger Gross capacity : 69,000 Status : Stadium under construction.Excavation completed. Building of main structures started on late september
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History of Moroccan football
Famous Moroccan soccer firsts
1913-1945, the early years
First African country to reach the Europe-Africa play-offs in the World Cup qualifying rounds: Morocco-Spain, 1961
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Kingdom of Morocco, which historically has been open to a wide variety of influences, saw the arrival of large numbers of European residents smitten with a new sport – soccer – which soon spread through Morocco like wildfire. The first clubs (Union Sportive Marocaine, Stade Marocain, Sporting Club des Roches Noires, etc.) were set up as early as 1913, and the first championships were organized in 1916.
In 1960, Morocco began its inexorable rise towards the summit of African soccer. In the 1962 World Cup qualifying rounds, it eliminated Tunisia and the formidable Ghanaians only to be obliged, following a surprise decision, to take part in two play-off matches against Spanish team leaded by Di Stefano, which later went on to win the European Nations’ Cup in 1964. Morocco suffered narrow defeats in these two epic matches, but earned recognition by the world soccer community as one of the homes of soccer.
Very soon, the first team, Union Sportive Marocaine, was to stand out from the rest and become the flagship of Moroccan soccer. USM began collecting championship victories (13 titles between 1922 and 1942), and formed the backbone of Morocco’s young national team, which kicked off its international career on November 20, 1927 with a 1-1 draw in Oran against a team from Algeria’s Oranie region. This first international match was soon followed by others, with Moroccan teams participating in the tournament of North African leagues and the North African championships, the forerunners of today’s African events. By 1931, the Kingdom was established as one of the homes of soccer and began playing host to the biggest names in world soccer. They included FC Sevilla in 1931, Santander in 1932, the French champions FC Lille in 1933 (beaten 5-1 by USM!), the prestigious Italian club Pro Vercelli in 1934 (held to a scoreless draw by USM); Ferencvaros in 1935, Slavia Prague in 1936, and, above all, the two teams which played the finest soccer of the day – Austria Vienna and Admira Vienna. These last two visits to Morocco in 1934 saw an unprecedented outpouring of enthusiasm. On June 8, 1934, they treated the Casablanca public to a performance that was to make a lasting impression on Moroccan soccer fans in general. At the final whistle, Nausch’s Admira had won 2-1 against Austria Vienna who were captained by the inimitable Sindelar, and the entire country had experienced at first hand the joys of spectacular world-class soccer. Local soccer players were amazed at the sight of such graceful, flowing play and soon set about imitating the Wunderteam’s tactics and techniques. Among those players was a virtuoso by the name of Larbi Ben Barek, whose dribbling skills are an enduring legend.
Next month : 1945 - 1956 The “Perle Noire” Era