(ATR) Former sports and youth minister of Morocco Moncef Belkhayat says he would bring the Games to Casablanca if elected president of the region.
"Officials at the International Olympic Committee love Morocco and have told me that they would like to see the Olympic Games in Africa," Belkhayat said.
If the Olympics did come to Casablanca in 2028, they would be the first Games hosted in Africa. Belkhayat says he is serious about making it a reality.
"Casablanca deserves to become the first hub in North and West Africa. And deserves to be the second tourist center of Morocco after Marrakech," he said.
He says the Games would improve the overall quality of life in the region as well as facilitate the construction of an international airport that can serve over 20 million passengers a year. Belkhayat wants to turn Casablanca into a cultural and tourist hub by the end of his potential term in 2020.
The former sports minister has experience bidding for international events. He successfully bid for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations until Morocco demanded to postpone the event due to the Ebola virus epidemic. Belkhayat also has experience bidding for the FIFA Club World Cup.
On top of his event bidding experience, Belkhayat says he has examined past Olympic bids and understands how they can be transformative to a city and a country.
"I have studied cities like Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona which were transformed by the Olympics. The Olympic Games is an Olympic swimming pool, an Olympic stadium, and Olympic village and infrastructure," Belkhayat said.
Bidding for the 2028 Summer Games will begin in 2019.
Written by Kevin Nutley
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