Nawal El Moutawakel is a former Moroccan hurdler, who won the inaugural women"s 400 metres hurdles event at the 1984 Summer Olympics, thereby becoming the first female Muslim born on the continent of Africa to become an Olympic champion.
Career
In 2007, El Moutawakel was named the Minister of Sports in the upcoming cabinet of Morocco. King Hassan II of Morocco telephoned El Moutawakel to give his congratulations, and he declared that all girls born the day of her victory were to be named in her honor. In 2006, El Moutawakel was one of the eight bearers of the Olympic flag at the 2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Turin, Italy.
On 26 July 2012, she carried the Olympic torch through Westminster, London, for the London Olympics.
Membership
International Olympic Committee]
In 1995, El Moutawakel became a council member of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), and in 1998 she became a member of the International Olympic Committee (International Olympic Committee). El Moutawakel is a member of the International Olympic Committee, and she was the president of evaluation commissions for the selection of the host city for the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
