Morocco at the Olympics

Morocco first participated in the Olympic Games in 1960, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when they joined the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics. Morocco also boycotted the 1976 Games, withdrawing after having initially sent a delegation. In doing so, Morocco joined the boycott of the Games by most African countries, in protest against New Zealand's participation following an All Blacks rugby match, unrelated to the Olympics, against an apartheid team from South Africa. Only one Moroccan representative had time to compete before his country's withdrawal: Abderahim Najim took part in the Men's Light Flyweight event in boxing, and lost his first and only match before joining the national contingent's premature departure. Morocco has also participated in the Winter Olympic Games on seven occasions since 1968. Moroccan athletes have won a total of 26 medals, 21 in athletics, four in boxing and one in football. Hicham El Guerrouj, with two gold medals and one silver medal, Saïd Aouita, with one gold and one bronze, Hasna Benhassi, with one silver and one bronze and Soufiane El Bakkali, with two gold medals are Morocco's four multiple medal winners. The Moroccan Olympic Committee was created in 1959.