Champion Runner Denied Spanish Citizenship Despite National Victory

Madjida Maayouf’s nationality application has been rejected yet again on the eve of this competition. "I don’t know what else I can do. Time is working against me," laments the Moroccan athlete who will have been a resident for ten years in December. 34-year-old Madjida Mayoouf was born in Brarha (Taza region). The fifth of eight siblings, she arrived in Spain in 2011 and lived for a time in Santurtzi, then in Vitoria, before settling in Agurain (Euskadi). Since then, she has been fighting to obtain Spanish nationality and represent the country in official competitions.

The Ministry of Justice has so far rejected the application of the Moroccan athlete, arguing that Spanish nationality is obtained after 10 years of residence in the territory. It is therefore with the naturalization card, which is issued free of charge and without great demands, that Madjida Maayouf is currently competing. "I will have the required 10 years of residence on December 23 next and I will be able to apply for nationality, but the problem is to know when I will be able to obtain it. These are administrative processes that can take years," she points out.

In the meantime, Madjida will not participate in the World Championships in Budapest and the Paris Games with Spain. Failing that, she could represent Morocco, an option she does not consider. She had left Morocco in 2011 after obtaining a visa to participate in the Barcelona marathon. But in reality, it was just a pretext to leave the kingdom to build a better life. The young woman is the mother of a 10-year-old daughter, Diyae, which means "light," she explains, adding that she is "a fundamental pillar in my life."

The young woman won the Spanish cross-country championship two weeks ago. But she was unable to receive her medal. "It’s painful," she insists. At the 2021 Siena Marathon in Italy, she had achieved a time of 2:29:24, qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics. But she could not participate because of the Spanish nationality she does not have. "I reached the minimum standard, I had a better marathon time than any Spaniard. I know I can be among the best, my results prove it," she says.