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Moroccan Olympians Threaten Boycott Over Unpaid Salaries Ahead of Tokyo Games
Tuesday 6 July 2021, by
Moroccan athletes who are part of the Moroccan delegation expected at the Tokyo Olympics have stated that they will miss the call if their federations do not pay them their full salaries. They complain about the treatment they receive and point out that their officials will be held accountable for the consequences of their absence from these international competitions for which the authorities have promised big bonuses in case of victory.
The Tokyo Olympics will be held from Friday, July 23 to Sunday, August 8. Morocco will be represented by 48 athletes, in 18 disciplines. However, some of its athletes who will have to defend the national colors threaten to stay home as long as they have not received the salaries owed to them by their respective federations, reports the daily Al Akhbar.
Informed of the complaint, the Moroccan National Olympic Committee (CNOM) said it was surprised by the initiative taken by this group of athletes who even refuse to prepare for the most important sporting event in the world. They have refused to participate in a planned training camp abroad and are demanding the payment of an amount of 200,000 dirhams before agreeing to be part of the trip to Tokyo. This complaint exposes the difficulties faced by some federations for several months. According to the newspaper, remaining without a salary for many months could have an impact on the performance of the athletes during the Olympics.
To resolve the conflict that has set in and which risks compromising the participation of the Moroccan delegation in the Olympics, the CNOM offers its mediation in order to keep these disgruntled athletes completely focused on the competition, especially since the athletes who threaten to miss the competition are mostly in disciplines where Morocco has the best chances of winning medals.