HIBAPRESS – Ahmed Al-Musaid
The city of Oujda hosted the activities of the Moroccan National Rugby Conference on November 15th and 16th, organized by the Royal Moroccan Rugby Federation in strategic partnership with the Eastern Regions Development Agency, and in cooperation with the ministry overseeing the sports sector, with the presence of the African Rugby Union.
This conference was held under the slogan "Moroccan Rugby Between the Challenges of the Present and Future Prospects," and as the organizers confirmed, it constituted "an important station and an opportune opportunity for dialogue, the exchange of experiences, and the sharing of visions in order to unify efforts among the various actors and those concerned with the development of Moroccan rugby and consolidating the foundations for the development of this sport in our country." The head of the Royal Moroccan Rugby Federation, Hicham Oubaja, in his opening speech, expressed his pride in the city hosting this event, emphasizing the importance of concerted efforts from all stakeholders. He extended expressions of thanks and gratitude to all participants and attendees from inside and outside the country, including officials, coaches, players, and those interested, highly appreciating the support of the Eastern Region Development Agency and the institutional follow-up of the provincial authorities, the Eastern Region Council, and Mohammed I University. He also added, stressing that this conference came to "build new perceptions for the course of the Royal Moroccan Federation within the challenges of the fourth decade and the end of the third decade of this century." He pointed out that the development that the Kingdom of Morocco is witnessing at the infrastructure and human levels requires the Federation to modernize its future projects, with the need for young people to be involved in the material, administrative, and technical management of the sport. Also, one of the founding members and former presidents of the Federation described it as "an event that warms the heart, and a jewel in the necklace of the course of Moroccan rugby." He considered it a "qualitative leap" towards the academic field and collective thinking, stressing that "without it, there is no progress, no advancement, and no development." The conference was based on listening to the opinions and proposals of more than 100 participants over two days, from clubs and sports leagues of the same sport and experts, with the aim of developing a clear work strategy. During the national conference, the speakers focused on the ultimate goal of developing a precise scientific vision within a clear-cut project to achieve future goals, especially achieving the 2030 goals. The necessity of: – Expanding the base of practitioners and creating new clubs, with special attention to the female element, which has become a remarkable phenomenon with its African achievements. – Integrating rugby activities into the school field and reactivating physical activities in schools. – Organizing major events, where the head of the Federation announced that Oujda will host the Arab Rugby Championship soon, in addition to organizing the second African Conference in Nador and Saïdia next April. – And this conference confirms the Royal Moroccan Rugby Federation's commitment to institutional and participatory work, in its endeavor to restore Moroccan rugby to its rightful place at the continental and international levels.
