Spanish Club Terminates Moroccan Marathon Champion’s Contract After Theft Allegations

In a statement published by the club, the club states that it has evidence of the Moroccan athlete’s involvement in the two thefts. In two weeks, Jaouad Tougane broke into two shopping centers in the Spanish city, before being identified by the security service thanks to the security cameras.

"Due to this completely inappropriate behavior that goes against the club’s values," it has decided to cancel his contract "immediately," the statement said. His arrest by the local police took place late, thanks to the support of the shopping center security service, which managed to identify him through the video recordings.

Originally from Morocco, the 27-year-old marathoner managed to stand out in the 5,000 meter races before participating in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics under the Moroccan jersey. Resident in Spain since his childhood, Jaouad Tougane has always dreamed of obtaining Spanish nationality, after he decided to abandon the Moroccan selection for financial reasons.