Winners include Morocco's men's national team for its historic World Cup performance and athlete Sofiane El Bakkali

Morocco dominates at the Mohamed bin Rashid al-Maktoum Awards for Sports Creativit

PHOTO/MAP - El rey de Marruecos, Mohammed VI (centro), posando para una fotografía con los jugadores de la selección nacional de fútbol del país en el palacio real de Rabat, a su regreso tras el Mundial de Qatar 2022 — PHOTO/MAP - Morocco's King Mohammed VI (centre) poses for a photograph with the players of the country's national football team at the royal palace in Rabat on his return after the Qatar 2022 World Cup

23/11/23

Reaching the top in any discipline is difficult, especially when your opponents have more history, investment and structure. Morocco's success is based on strict adherence to sporting values, which are applied at all levels.

Respect, cooperation, social relations, friendship, competitiveness, teamwork, participation of all and expression of feelings have been the basis of Moroccan sport, which, after much effort, is achieving its goals.

His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, witnesses the ceremony announcing the winners of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award, 12th edition, one of Mohammed bin Rashid’s global initiatives, pic.twitter.com/7WMrgDMGzb

— MBR Awards (@MBRaward) November 22, 2023

Moroccan athletes won the 12th category of the Mohamed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum Sports Creativity Award. Morocco's national team received the Arab Team Award, coach Walid Regragui received the Arab Coach Award and athlete Sofiane el Bakkali received the Sustainable Sport Achievement Award.

PHOTO/AFP/FADEL SENNA - Aficionados del Wydad ondean banderas durante el partido de fútbol de la segunda ronda de la Copa Mundial de Clubes de la FIFA entre el Wydad AC marroquí y el Al-Hilal saudí en el estadio Príncipe Moulay Abdellah de Rabat el 4 de febrero de 2023 — **PHOTO/AFP/FADEL SENNA -** Wydad fans wave flags during the FIFA Club World Cup second round football match between Wydad AC of Morocco and Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat on February 4, 2023

In addition, Khadija Mardi received the Arab Sportswoman Award, Bushra Karboubi received the Arab Referees Award and Malak al-Allami received the Arab Young Sportsman Award for his outstanding sporting achievements.

Meanwhile, the World Sports Personality Award was presented to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the Sports Personality Award was received by Sheikh Talal al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, president of the Olympic Council of Asia (Kuwait), and Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid al-Nuaimi of the United Arab Emirates won the Sports Award and the Personality Award whose aim is to support and encourage sportsmen and women.

AFP/FADEL SENNA - El presidente de la Real Federación Marroquí de Fútbol, Fouzi Lekjaa (Derecha), llega junto con el presidente de la Federación Internacional de Fútbol (FIFA) Gianni Infantino (Centro), y el presidente de la Confederación Africana de Fútbol (CAF), Patrice Motsepe (Izquierda), para participar en el sorteo de la Copa Mundial de Clubes de la FIFA, en Sale, al norte de la capital de Marruecos, el 13 de enero de 2023 — **AFP/FADEL SENNA -** The president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa (right), arrives with FIFA President Gianni Infantino (centre) and Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe (left) to participate in the draw for the FIFA Club World Cup in Sale, north of the Moroccan capital, on 13 January 2023

Morocco's dominance

Morocco was second only to the United Arab Emirates (12) with six awards. Among the other participating countries, a total of 12 awards were won by Algeria (2), Tunisia (2), Switzerland (2), Kuwait (1), Iraq (1), Russia (1), Egypt (1), Syria (1) and Saudi Arabia (1).

Walid Regragui

With his excellent performance, he led his country to the semi-finals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, becoming the first Arab coach to do so and finishing third in the International Federation of Football History and Statistics' ranking of the world's best coach. Among his merits are the 2014-2016-2022 best Moroccan coach awards, 2014 Throne Cup and 2016 Moroccan League champion with Moroccan side Fath Rabat, 2020 Qatari League champion with Al-Duhail team and 2022 Moroccan League and 2022 Africa Cup of Nations Champions League champion with Moroccan side Wydad.

Morocco national team

The Moroccan team was the first Arab and African team to qualify for the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar and the first Arab team to top their group twice in the World Cup, the first African team to qualify for the quarter-finals of the World Cup since 2010 and the Arab team with the most goals in World Cup history, scoring 19 goals.

Sofiane el-Bakkali

Gold at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 (3,000m steeplechase), gold at the World Athletics Championships Eugene, 2022 (3,000m steeplechase) and ranked No 1 in the world in the 3,000m steeplechase competition.

Malak al-Allami

Gold medallist at the African Under-16 Tennis Championships in Tunisia.

Bushra Karboubi

The first Arab referee to referee matches at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup finals, was part of the refereeing team for the 2021 Men's Africa Cup Final and refereed the men's final of the Throne Cup in Morocco 2023.

Khadija Mardi

Won gold at the World Championships in New Delhi - 2023, silver at the World Championships in Istanbul 2022, gold at the African Championships in Mozambique 2022 and ranked number 1 in the world at the weight of +81 kg.

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