Moroccan Runner Moha Bakkali Secures Spanish Citizenship After Years-Long Process

"A weight has been lifted from my shoulders, I am very happy and content," Moha Bakkali told La Nueva España. The Moroccan athlete, who has been residing in Pola de Siero for years, has finally obtained Spanish nationality at the end of a process that has lasted for years. "Six years ago, I resumed the entire procedure. The first time was eight years ago, but I was missing a document," explains the Real Sociedad runner.

"In my case, I had to reside on the territory for at least ten years. I’m about 19 years old now," adds Bakkali, who talks about the difficulties he encountered on this long struggle. For example, "they ask me for a criminal record in Morocco. These are steps that take time. And when a document is provided, another one that has already been submitted has expired and the procedure has to be started again," he laments, also stressing the distance to travel to go to the Moroccan consulate in Bilbao to obtain documents.

On a personal level, being Spanish will not change much for him, but on a sporting level, it will. "At the Spanish Championships, I can now access the final and fight to win medals, which was not possible before," rejoices Bakkali, who will also be able to benefit from scholarships to continue his career. "At Real Sociedad, they are also happy for me and have congratulated me. It was a pressing issue, and now I have resolved it," says the athlete.