Violence in stadiums: a highly complex social phenomenon...
641
Violence in stadiums and their surroundings is not solely a matter of sports passion. It reflects deep social tensions, individual vulnerabilities, and possibly institutional dysfunctions. Understanding this phenomenon implicitly requires an analysis of all the personal, social, and organizational factors that foster these all-too-frequent outbreaks.
The majority of young people involved in such violence, especially during football matches, often come from precarious backgrounds, marked by fragile family structures and a strong sense of social, cultural, and economic exclusion. The need for recognition drives some of them to join radical supporter groups, where violence becomes a way to assert their identity, gain notoriety, and earn respect. Clashes before, during, and after matches are opportunities to establish this recognition, assert a certain popularity, or even consolidate leadership.
The identification and sanctioning of troublemakers, which are obviously limited, reinforce the feeling of impunity and even superiority over the law and law enforcement. Anonymity in the crowd and insufficient controls facilitate violent acts, often orchestrated by leaders who quickly step back.
Family instability, school failure, emotional immaturity, adolescent impulsiveness, and difficulties managing emotions add to educational and psychological deficiencies, encouraging violent behavior. Cognitive vulnerabilities, attention disorders, or below-average IQ, as well as the absence of effective integration programs, further complicate social and academic inclusion, increasing the risk of marginalization.
Structural and institutional causes also play a decisive role. Sports clubs, often little involved in the educational and social management of their supporters, shift responsibility onto security services. This opaque and poorly coordinated management among stakeholders makes matches increasingly costly in terms of security and image.
Young people left to themselves, without prospects, are easy targets for criminal or extremist groups that exploit sports passion to spread violent and increasingly political messages. The lack of sports and cultural infrastructure in disadvantaged neighborhoods drives these youths to find an outlet for their frustrations in supporter groups. Social networks amplify the spread of tensions and hateful discourse, exacerbating violence.
The deterioration of public health, the decline of education, the increase in social inequalities, and the feeling of injustice feed this endemic violence. In Morocco, for example, 1.7 million young people aged 15 to 24 are NEET (not in education, employment, or training), and nearly 280,000 students leave the education system each year without qualifications, fostering marginalization and adherence to violent groups. Today, such groups orbit almost all football teams, regardless of the level of competition, results, or geographic location of the club.
This is not just an observation.
Violence surrounding sport is not inevitable.
Civic education, abandoned in favor of proven ineffective school methods and content, must be reintroduced with a strong emphasis on respect for others and common goods, tolerance, and fair play, starting at a young age through ongoing awareness campaigns in schools and sports clubs.
Strengthening judicial authority, with rapid, exemplary, and systematic sanctions, including family responsibility for those under 16, is necessary. The development of local infrastructure with free access and supervised activities must continue. Local authorities have a duty to get involved by recruiting educational staff to supervise young people in neighborhoods and offering extracurricular programs, educational workshops, sports activities, and second-chance schools.
Sports clubs must assume their responsibility through greater transparency, adopting an ethical charter for spectator management, training supervisors, engaging in dialogue with supporters, and directly managing matches. They must openly condemn and distance themselves from violent groups and no longer tolerate them.
Better collaboration between schools, families, clubs, and authorities is essential for comprehensive youth supervision. European examples, such as Eurofan in Belgium, the European Convention on Violence in Stadiums, or educational programs in Germany and the UK, demonstrate the effectiveness of prevention, dialogue, mediation, and advanced technologies (video surveillance, facial recognition).
Violence in stadiums reflects social fractures, exclusion, and a lack of guidance. The solution lies in a comprehensive approach: prevention, education, social integration, professional club management, and institutional cooperation.
Sport must once again become a vector of integration, respect, and social cohesion: a notably collective responsibility.
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Benkirane don't forget: the "brainless," "donkeys," and "microbes" are also voters...**
1535
During the rally he presided over on the occasion of May 1, 2025, Abdelillah Benkirane, former-new secretary general of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), erupted with rare vehemence, calling Moroccan citizens who prioritize national causes over the cause of Gaza "brainless," "microbes," and "donkeys."
Adopting a harsh tone and a contemptuous look, he fiercely criticized supporters of the slogan "Taza before Gaza," denouncing their stance while reaffirming his commitment to the Palestinian cause. For Benkirane, this segment of society has not grasped the real issues by placing Moroccan national interests first. He deliberately conflated the Palestinian issue with Hamas and its control over Gaza, insinuating that the apparently majority position he vehemently criticizes comes at the expense of solidarity with Palestine. His speech, filled with contempt and insults, shocks by the use of such degrading terms as "brainless," "microbes," and "donkeys" and by a humiliating formulation.
This outburst comes in a context where Benkirane has been increasingly taking positions favorable to Hamas, notably since the start of Israeli military operations in Gaza in October 2023.
This radical stance is beginning to raise many questions, especially since during the 9th national congress of the PJD, held in Rabat on April 26 and 27, 2025, the incendiary remarks of two foreign guests went unchallenged in the hall, not even by Benkirane, who is known for his strictness and for not letting anything pass.
A particularly ideological and worrying speech was delivered by Doğan Bekin, vice-president of the Turkish Islamist party Yeniden Refah (New Prosperity Party). He prophesied the overthrow of Muslim regimes maintaining relations with Israel, confidently asserting that the PJD would regain power in Morocco as the true representative of the people. He also mentioned the fall of Western-supported regimes in favor of Islamic powers, a supranational message that can be interpreted as a challenge to Moroccan sovereignty and national interests.
The lack of any reaction to these remarks gives the impression that the international Islamist ideological agenda carried by Benkirane and his allies now takes precedence over Morocco's interests. This situation is unacceptable. The supposedly national congress thus took on the appearance of an "Islamist international," with the presence of foreign speakers carrying agendas contrary to the foundations and sovereignty of the Moroccan nation.
Moreover, the performance of a Mauritanian preacher, Mohamed Hassan Ould Deddew, during the same congress also caused astonishment. Known for his hostility to Moroccan recognition of sovereignty over the Sahara and for his radicalism, he firmly rejected the American approach, calling it legally null and contrary to Islamic law. President of the Mauritanian Ulama Training Center (closed in 2018) and an influential figure in the Qatar-funded International Union of Muslim Scholars, his hostile intervention regarding Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara went unanswered by the PJD and its religious wing, the Movement for Unity and Reform (MUR). This silence is significant.
It is clear that the PJD seeks to renew itself and win back votes for the upcoming elections by positioning itself as a defender of Palestinians, the underprivileged, and popular causes. However, one must question the limits of this strategy, especially since the party openly defies institutions and no longer hesitates to insult its opponents.
The stance adopted by Benkirane is contrary to political ethics and the respect that every politician owes to his country, its laws, institutions, and citizens.
Has he forgotten that those he insulted on this May 1, 2025-the "brainless," "donkeys," and "microbes" are also voters?
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Royal message to Benkirane: the rules of the game are clear.
1824
His Majesty King Mohammed VI sent a congratulatory message to Abdelilah Benkirane on the occasion of his re-election as Secretary General of the Justice and Development Party (PJD) during its ninth National Congress. A careful reading of the message reveals that it goes beyond mere formal protocol. Behind the usual institutional courtesy lies a subtle political writing, faithful to the Palace’s style, where every word is weighed and every phrase meaningful.
As customary, the tone is both cordial and measured, acknowledging Benkirane’s trajectory on the national stage. His Majesty praises "the sense of responsibility" of the former head of government and "his attachment to the constants and sacred values of the nation." These words serve as a clear reminder of the fundamentals of the constitutional monarchy and the foundational values of the Kingdom. This is the choice of an entire nation. Is this not an unambiguous reminder of an implicit red line? The expression is diplomatic but reminds Benkirane and all PJD members and factions that adherence to the constitution’s foundations is the sine qua non condition for any political participation.
Moreover, this message comes at a time when the PJD seeks to regain momentum after a historic electoral defeat. By congratulating Benkirane, His Majesty indirectly acknowledges his political comeback. However, one must read between the lines that the party must understand and definitively accept that opposition is legitimate but must remain within the constitutional balances. The message thus takes on the tone of a political beacon: encouragement to responsibility and a warning against any adventurism.
The remarks of some foreign guests at the congress were more than surprising, especially since no reprimand was noted. Likewise, the statement by Benkirane’s deputy a few days before the congress, which caused a stir on social media, raised many questions about the party’s new direction, which seems to be emerging.
The party must firmly assimilate that religion does not need it for defense; the Islamic reference is a foundation of the Moroccan constitution, which also guarantees broad individual freedoms and protects religious minorities as essential components of the nation. It must understand that the Palestine issue is a priority of Moroccan diplomacy and not an electoral campaign topic. Its role must implicitly remain eminently political, within the constitutional framework and nothing else.
The message could also be read as a way to reposition Benkirane in the political landscape, distinguishing him from other critical voices of the system while reminding him that his party is like any other. The message explicitly refers to "honorable" parties. This is a tactical gesture, perhaps aimed at restoring a role to a framed and responsible opposition at a time when Morocco’s party landscape suffers from a real deficit of credibility and societal anchoring.
In sum, the message is not merely symbolic: it is a piece of a broader political chessboard, where managing the country’s balances prudently and delicately is essential and unavoidable.
While explicitly a protocol act of congratulations, the message contains several elements rich in meaning and political insinuations.
The Sovereign, while emphasizing the renewed confidence placed in Benkirane to lead the PJD and wishing him full success in his missions, particularly stresses the need to consolidate the party’s position on the national political scene and to strengthen its active participation alongside other honorable political formations. This insistence recalls the importance of serious, responsible engagement serving the general interest with a distinctly national imprint. The framework is clear and the scope of action precise.
His Majesty highlights the accompaniment of the overall development process led under his guidance, aiming to propel Morocco toward greater modernity, progress, and prosperity. This explicit reference to royal leadership in national development underscores that the PJD must align with this dynamic and support the country’s orientations transparently and sincerely.
The interests of the Moroccan nation are clear and stand as the only path considered. Parties exist to serve the supreme interests of the homeland, placed above all other considerations. This mention is an implicit warning against any ambition or action that might stray from the Kingdom’s fundamental principles and national unity.
Thus, His Majesty’s congratulatory message, while cordial, carries clear injunctions regarding the expected role of the PJD under Benkirane’s leadership: to strengthen its political anchoring within the national framework, act responsibly, support the royal development project, and respect national constants. These elements can be perceived as subtle reminders to all parties of their duties and limits in today’s Moroccan political landscape.
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The recent vandalism at the Mohamed V Stadium :the real match lies elsewhere
2348
The recent vandalism at the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca is nothing new. What is new, however, is that it erupted barely a week after the grand reopening of this iconic stadium, freshly renovated to host the much-anticipated Casablanca derby. A rushed reopening, symbol of a hope quickly overtaken by reality: that of endemic violence which outpaces modernization efforts.
The derby itself had gone smoothly, as the Ultras had decided to boycott it.
A week later, they were back—and made their presence loudly known. Part of the stadium bears the scars. Seats designed to welcome them and restrooms built for their comfort were ransacked. All of this will have to be repaired in time for the Africa Cup of Nations...
It’s public money: our taxes, our debts.
During certain Wydad or Raja matches—or elsewhere in Morocco—the behavior of a segment of the crowd is increasingly alarming. This phenomenon, varying in degrees of severity, has been ongoing for years and severely disrupts public order. It puts immense pressure on security forces and raises major sociological, institutional, and security-related concerns.
Numerous studies have been conducted, yet no concrete solutions have emerged. Because this phenomenon is complex: it is not merely the result of sporting outcomes. In this case, one can certainly point to the mounting frustration of fans of Casablanca’s two major teams, both of which have been in decline recently.
Since the introduction of the ultra movement in Morocco via Tunisia in 2005, young Raja and Wydad tifosi have colonized their respective stands and extended their influence into the streets. Their creativity with tifos is indeed impressive, but disorder has become the norm. It is now rare to witness a match without violence, both inside and outside stadiums.
Nothing seems to work: not closed-door matches, not sanctions, not prison sentences. Worse still, the situation is deteriorating. Scenes of looting and violent clashes around stadiums are now a reality, and not just in Casablanca. Even small towns with no major football stakes are no longer spared.
It would be risky to directly compare the situation here to that of other countries. Since the birth of the ultra movement in Hungary in 1899, its spread to Brazil in the 1930s, its transformation in Yugoslavia, and its resurgence in Italy during the 1960s, the phenomenon has continually evolved. Likewise, the UK witnessed the rise of hooliganism in the 1970s.
In Morocco’s case, we are dealing with a singular expression of the movement: a specific form rooted in local social, economic, and cultural dynamics. It eludes classical frameworks of analysis, forging its own aesthetic, unique codes, and a capacity for mobilization that transcends football. It is a reinvention of the phenomenon in light of local realities.
Institutional responses have not been lacking: new laws, broad-based meetings led by the DGSN, specialized units, academic conferences. All to little avail.
Security forces struggle to strike a balance between prevention and repression. They are often targeted themselves.
Meanwhile, clubs persist in a worrying state of organizational amateurism. Generous subsidies and a lack of accountability are major factors. Many Botola clubs suffer from poor governance, disconnected from the realities of their supporters and the imperatives of professional sports. Coaches and players endure constant pressure from aggressive fans.
But can football alone explain the phenomenon? Or is the stadium becoming an outlet, a space for catharsis for a marginalized, frustrated youth with no prospects?
This is not merely sports violence: it is deep social anger, with football as a pretext.
Every provocation, defeat, or refereeing injustice is perceived as a humiliation. The tension, already palpable, explodes in the stands.
Despite arrests, sanctions lack structural effectiveness.
The absence of judicial follow-up reinforces the idea that vandalism is tolerated. The triumphant welcomes given to some youths upon their release from prison speak volumes: they feel no remorse. On the contrary, they return with a dangerous new aura of prestige.
Here, a link can be made to the recent findings of the Haut-Commissariat au Plan (HCP), which published a worrying survey on household morale.
The Household Confidence Index (HCI) fell to 46.6 points in the first quarter of 2025, its lowest level since 2008. In 2018, it stood at 87.3. A dizzying drop.
Pessimism is widespread: 81% of households believe their standard of living has deteriorated. Debt is crushing, inflation is taking hold, and weariness is palpable.
This despair is echoed in the ultras’ chants, in their slogans—sometimes subversive, often disillusioned.
Their message now resonates broadly, even among materially comfortable youths. The ultras now cast a wide net.
Meanwhile, political parties are absent from public debate (except during election periods).
Trade unions, ultra-minoritarian, now represent only a tiny fraction of workers.
And as nature abhors a vacuum, it is filled by other forms of expression—sometimes political, sometimes violent, often manipulated.
Idle youths find in stadiums—and sometimes in the streets—an outlet for their frustration.
Recent slogans, ostensibly linked to geopolitical causes like the normalization with Israel, are often mere pretexts.
Those promoting certain subversive ideologies have perfectly understood the opportunity.
They seized it.
Young people seeking to assert themselves, to voice their rejection of a system they believe deaf to their expectations, are being swept up, radicalized, dangerously manipulated.
Politics is never far away.
In recent days, conferences on “sporting encouragement” have been organized by local authorities, chaired by regional governors (walis).
Yet one crucial question remains: are the youths concerned actually participating?
Without them—without genuine willingness to listen, and without deep, structural reforms—these efforts risk once again getting lost in the background noise of a crisis far graver than a simple football match won or lost.
And yet, solutions have been outlined in the long-forgotten New Development Model.
The challenges are many, but the real match lies elsewhere.
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Collective Intelligence: ''Alone You May Begin, But Together You Go Far''
2610
**We often hear the saying, ''One hand alone cannot clap'', you need another hand to create sound.** This perfectly reflects the reality of working on a project in life. Working alone can take you somewhere, but rarely very far.
Collective intelligence is essential for building creative projects with the potential to truly move forward. Each team member brings a unique perspective, a different way of seeing the world, diverse skills, and individual visions. What matters most is that all these differences ultimately converge toward a shared goal.
To sustain the rhythm of collaborative work, listening is key. Communication forms the backbone of human relationships. When listening breaks down, so does communication, and without it, teamwork cannot thrive.
Just as every boat has its captain, every team needs a leader, the person everyone turns to, both in moments of crisis and in times of celebration. The leader is the foundation of the team. And if that foundation is weak, the whole structure risks falling apart.
It’s equally important that each team member understands their strengths and limitations, allowing room for others to step up and contribute. Collective intelligence achieves its full potential when the team moves as a harmonious orchestra, each member in sync, playing their part in perfect balance, working together to create something greater than any one individual could achieve alone.
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"Mbappé in Madrid, Hakimi in Paris: A Tale of Two Paths"
3556
He was meant to be the ultimate Galáctico of the second quarter of the 21st century—the new chosen one of the Bernabéu and its demanding, football-savvy crowd. Long hailed as the jewel of French football, everything pointed to, and even made us believe, that he was destined to leave a lasting mark on Real Madrid’s history—perhaps even surpassing Zidane, the other legendary Frenchman to wear white. But football has a logic of its own, one that remains impenetrable to us mere mortals. And we’ve just been reminded of that, as not even Florentino Pérez the mythical president with a fabulous track record seems able to escape it.
Barely arrived, Kylian Mbappé is already disappointing. A thousand and one excuses will be made for his early struggles. But it’s getting harder and harder to find new ones. His adaptation is sluggish, his play sterile. He seems lost on the pitch. His teammates can’t seem to connect with him. A team that, just a season ago, was steamrolling opponents now looks disjointed on the same pitch, suddenly unfamiliar.
The effectiveness of the squad—with Mbappé as the only new addition, has evaporated. Quietly, but increasingly openly, the Madrid locker room is beginning to ask questions.
Then came the slap in the face, twice delivered by Arsenal. The team was lifeless, their rhythm gone, goals pouring in from all sides. Real Madrid’s legendary efficiency has turned into a mirage. Did they bet on the wrong man?
The long-running Mbappé saga finally concluded with a fanfare in 2024. The fans expected a new Cristiano Ronaldo. What they’re discovering is a player lacking inspiration, who doesn’t fit into the team’s collective structure, incapable of making the difference, and throwing off his teammates’ rhythm. He’s scored a few goals, but without brilliance or leadership. The weight of the merengue jersey seems too heavy for the once-wonderkid from Bondy. What remains is disillusionment and heartbreak.
Real Madrid was brought to its knees in the Champions League. And it stings. Talk is growing about the president’s obsession with Mbappé, a fixation that finally came to fruition, but to what end? Pérez and his golden boy are now on the hot seat. And if Real finishes the season empty-handed, the consequences could be dire. The risk is real. Even Ancelotti doesn’t seem to believe in his team anymore. At the end of the match against Arsenal, his expression betrayed him. He wants out, probably sooner than we think. The crisis at Real is here, and as always in such cases, the coach is the first to go. The weakest link in the chain.
Mbappé at Real is unremarkable. He tends to drop too deep, lacks chemistry with the team, and his body language says it all: less sharp, less committed, almost withdrawn. Vinícius and Bellingham, dragged down, have lost their spark. They’ve become ordinary, the rest of the team unremarkable.
The heated argument and near-physical altercation between Mbappé and Vinícius in the tunnel speaks volumes about the tension and frustration inside the club.
Has Mbappé been a curse on this team?
Meanwhile, in Paris, his friend Achraf Hakimi by first name, the one Real let go has become the true leader of PSG. And PSG without Mbappé looks better than ever, even making it to the semifinals against another English team, no less.
The irony is thick.
It is in Paris that the counter-example shines the brightest. Achraf Hakimi, long relegated to the media background during the Mbappé era at PSG, has emerged this season as the true leader of the Parisian club. Defensively solid, offensively decisive, the Moroccan fullback is delivering top-class performances one after another. Scoring, assisting, orchestrating from the right flank, Hakimi is carrying a rebuilding PSG—with love, commitment, solidarity, selflessness, and ruthless efficiency.
His stats speak for themselves: a record number of interceptions, crucial goals in the Champions League. His consistency commands respect. The captain’s armband is well-earned.
More than anything, it’s his mental and tactical impact that stands out: Hakimi is no longer just a modern fullback; he’s become the cornerstone of PSG’s project. Is this the revenge of a man who was perhaps underestimated when he shared the same flank with Mbappé?
Arriving at PSG with the reputation of a “Real Madrid academy product” after a stint in Germany, Hakimi now seems to remind the Bernabéu of the strategic mistake they made letting him go. Madrid sought the glitter of Mbappé but perhaps what they truly lacked was the solidity and loyalty of Achraf Hakimi.
Modern football’s irony sometimes boils down to a single name, mispronounced at just the right time. While Kylian Mbappé had been hailed as the savior of Real Madrid after years of buildup, it is Achraf Hakimi, who stayed in Paris, who now stands out as one of Europe’s most influential players. Two opposite trajectories, two readings of the same summer of 2024, and perhaps an analytical error that may prove hard to correct.
Mbappé chose the prestige of Madrid. He probably believed he could lift the European trophy more easily with the club that’s won it the most. He was likely tired of PSG’s repeated failures. Hakimi, on the other hand, chose continuity, stability, and a playing project that fully embraced him. Today, the stats and performances seem to vindicate the Moroccan. His influence goes beyond the pitch: he’s become a technical and mental leader, respected by the locker room, trusted by the coach, and adored by the fans.
And what if it’s Hakimi who ends up lifting the trophy in 2025, with the very PSG that Mbappé once left with apparent disdain? For that to happen, Hakimi will need to shine again, this time against another English club, the same type that humiliated Mbappé, Ancelotti, Pérez, and all of Madrid.
While Paris celebrates, in Madrid, doubt is creeping in. Did they pay too much for a player whose game depends almost entirely on individual bursts of brilliance? And above all, how do you make multiple stars of similar stature coexist without eroding the cohesion of a group that used to be united and solid?
It would still be premature to write off Mbappé and his Spanish adventure—his raw talent remains undeniable. But this rough beginning raises an important question: what if the future of football no longer lies in glitz and glamour, but in game intelligence, versatility, and collective discipline?
If that’s the case, Achraf Hakimi may already be one of its most complete symbols.
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Does having had an infectious disease improve one's perception of health? A global study that questions our representations A paradox in global health brought to light
3704
Infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, or dengue are often seen as synonymous with suffering, lower quality of life, and in many cases, mortality. However, a large international study conducted across 187 countries challenges this assumption: people who have experienced one or more infectious diseases report, on average, a better perceived state of health than those who have never had any.
Data from a global sample
With nearly 88,000 participants, this study is based on a questionnaire distributed both online and on paper in some countries, including Morocco and Algeria. Researchers examined two key pieces of information: the participants’ experiences with nine infectious or parasitic diseases (including typhoid, cholera, and filariasis) and their response to a simple question: "How healthy do you feel on a scale of 1 to 11?"
Surprising but consistent results
The results are unexpected: people who have contracted at least one of these diseases rate their health better than those who have never had one. This phenomenon is even more pronounced among those who have had multiple infections. On a scale from 1 to 11, non-exposed individuals had an average rating of 7.4, compared to 8.3 for those with multiple exposures. Even though the statistical difference is modest, it remains significant.
This result was confirmed through various statistical methods, including mixed models that accounted for country differences and propensity score matching to reduce bias.
Hypotheses to explore
Why do people who have been ill feel generally healthier? Several possibilities can be considered:
A psychological resilience effect: Having overcome a serious illness could boost confidence in one's body.
An implicit comparison: These individuals may feel "healthy" in comparison to what they have experienced.
A selection bias: Only people who survived and regained good physical condition participated in the survey.
What does this mean for Morocco?
In Morocco, as in other middle-income countries, infectious diseases remain a reality, especially in rural areas or among vulnerable populations. However, these results might encourage a rethink of our health prevention and education campaigns. Instead of focusing solely on the fear or severity of diseases, it could be beneficial to adopt a more positive approach, highlighting the skills developed by individuals who have overcome an infection: endurance, knowledge of the body, and adaptability.
Additionally, using simple indicators such as self-reported health could be useful in Moroccan public policies. Cost-effective to implement, these indicators provide a global sense of well-being that is difficult to measure with biological analyses alone.
Conclusion: when the experience of illness becomes a strength
This study invites us to deconstruct a widely held belief: having suffered from an illness does not necessarily mean one will feel more vulnerable afterward. For many people around the world, and perhaps in Morocco as well, illness is experienced as a formative trial. What if the key to better mental and physical health lay in how we perceive our own bodies?
Invitation to read the article:
I invite you to read this interesting article that explores the psychological factors influencing sports performance in Spanish elite athletes. The study highlights key elements that can enrich our understanding of the links between sports psychology and success on the field. You can read the full article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350625001039
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Does having had an infectious disease improve one's perception of health? A global study that questions our representations A paradox in global health brought to light
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Are Wydad and Raja really that weak???
3776
In the Monday, April 14, 2025 episode of my weekly sports show “Sports with Aziz Daouda” on Barlmane Radio, I revisited the brilliant performance of the Moroccan U-17 national team at the Africa Cup of Nations, applauding the outstanding display by the *“Atlas Cubs”*, who delivered a high-level performance in this prestigious continental tournament.
I also discussed the Casablanca Derby between Wydad and Raja, held at the Mohammed V Complex — commonly referred to as "Donor" by the people of Casablanca — which has recently reopened after a complete renovation. I recalled the history of the stadium, which is part of a broad program aimed at modernizing Moroccan sports infrastructure in preparation for hosting CAN 2025 and the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
I especially commented on the decision by the ultras of the two major Casablanca clubs to boycott the derby and the supposed impact of this decision on the match.
I also pointed out that the stadium now presents a new face, both in terms of the quality of the pitch and the noticeable improvement in television coverage.
At the end of the show, I highlighted and discussed the innovations in refereeing that FIFA plans to introduce starting from the next Club World Cup, scheduled to take place in the USA next summer.
Below, you will find the link to the episode, which is in Moroccan Darija.
I invite you to comment on my remarks and, above all, to share your views on the show, as well as to send me your suggestions and proposals to improve the concept. Thank you in advance!
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Are Wydad and Raja really that weak???
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The Objective Truth
4390
In this story, an opinion is shared that one of the many hallmarks of an almost perfect human being is objectivity.
Of course nobody is perfect, and there is no way anything or anyone can be perfect. But every day, our constant struggle is to become better versions of ourselves than we were a day before.
In this journey, one of the very important items that one can pick up is the ability to be clearly objective. As the old saying goes, everything has its pros and cons. It is in the same way that no one can be right all the time.
Therefore, possessing the ability to distinguish between when you are just sure you are right, and when you can clearly see that you are wrong, and then going ahead to admit your wrong is key to getting nearer to perfection.
It is totally okay to be wrong. Heck! I may even be wrong with these claims.
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The Objective Truth
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For once, the PJD is proposing to set up a national sports council
4700
It's not customary, but this Sunday, April 6, 2025, the article is about sports. I don't usually like to talk about it unless I'm forced to. It's paradoxical, given that I've dedicated my life to sports and made it my profession. Many are convinced that it's very difficult to make changes, as mediocrity is deeply rooted, good intentions are disrupted, undesirable skills are present, dedication is not valued, and honesty is perceived as questionable.
The opportunity arose due to two political parties, as it's not common for both parties to show interest in sports within a week. The PJD and the FFD have done so. I found this very interesting because usually, parties only address the subject after unacceptable results. Then, succumbing to emotion, they take advantage of the situation to question the government and, for a while, take a stand, criticizing the responsible minister and blaming the federations. This was the case recently following the disappointing results at the Paris Olympics. Afterwards, there was complete silence.
During the preparation of electoral campaign programs, some parties, though rare, mention sports in simple narratives that are generally devoid of meaning; just to say it's important, without specifying why or how they plan to address it once in parliament or government. This quickly translates into a lack of vision in the inaugural speeches of prime ministers, now chiefs of government. We settle for a few phrases picked up here and there to say that sports are not forgotten.
From memory, I can cite a few exceptions that confirm the rule. The Ittihad Addoustouri, in its program at its creation, dedicated a good chapter to sports. I contributed significantly to it. The USFP, during the last elections, also invited me to a reflection that served as the basis for the party's program. I also remember participating in similar work a long time ago with the Istiqlal under the impetus of Si Belmahi, the valiant president of the FRM cycling federation.
This time, it's the PJD that has taken a stand by proposing, according to the press, a bill to create a National Sports Council in place of the current responsible department, namely the small sports department under the Ministry of National Education, Preschool, and Sports.
The structure of Si Akhanouch's Government and its revised version continues to astonish, reducing sports to a simple department without prominence among the prerogatives of a ministry bogged down in endless reforms, without us seeing the end of the tunnel. Since independence, national education has been in perpetual reform. The latest one dates back to just last week. Let's hope it's not the last.
Since this attachment, the two ministers in charge seem not to have time for sports.
The PJD has come boldly with this project, which is not new. The first sports conferences in the early sixties already mentioned it. Since then, sports have experienced at least 14 or 15 upheavals, going from an independent department to being attached to youth, national education, passing through a secretariat attached to the prime minister. It was even attached to labor during the time of the late Arsalane El Jadidi.
Sports will continue on its path with more or less success, but mostly repetitive failures. The only time it experienced some stability was during the time of the late Abdellatif Semlali, who still holds the record for longevity as a sports official. His tenure as Secretary of State and then Minister lasted eleven good years. We talked then about a sports takeoff. It was a relatively happy period that saw a restructuring of the sports field with sponsorship, the second round in the World Cup, the creation of the National Athletics School, and a resurgence of youth in more than one sport discipline.
The PJD, which led the government, didn't it realize the malaise that sports were experiencing during its ten years of glory? Better late than never.
Moving to a sports management system that escapes political time is a necessity. It's an evident demand made by many specialists for a long time, without the political world following up. Sports time is longer than political time. Preparing high-level athletes requires 7 to 8 years of continuous and linear work. Sports performance requires time and stability. The number of ministers in charge of sports who have succeeded each other in a short period shows how much we need this stability, and that's one of the flaws, but not the only one.
Due to ignorance of this history, some say that the project is inspired by what happened in France with the creation of an agency to handle sports. This is completely false. The demand in Morocco is much older. For about forty years, it has been discussed. Already during the government of Driss Jettou, it was on the table but did not succeed for many reasons, including a certain resistance that does not want this highly promising sector to leave the political sphere.
National sports can only thank the PJD for this bold move, even if it doesn't have much chance of succeeding, given how things are going in the current parliament. The PJD, being largely in the minority and without real support from its partners in the opposition, will have at least succeeded in opening the debate in the right direction. The supporters of Si Benkirane rightly refer to the royal letter of 2008. They cite the law 30.09 without saying that it was catastrophic for national sports. This could be the subject of a future article.
The second party that raised the issue of sports did so just yesterday. It is the Front of Democratic Forces. The party, under the leadership of Si Mustapha Benali, has brought back to the forefront the discussion of public sports policies with an extremely wide and varied panel of specialists and sports leaders, and in the presence of representatives from political parties of the same persuasion. The debates were of very good quality with a broad consensus around solutions that seem obvious and the surprise that they are not being implemented. This kind of debate is as necessary as it is urgent. Morocco, which makes sports and football in particular a driver of development, cannot wait any longer, lest it see its colossal efforts wasted and thus dangerous for its near and distant future.
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Only education can counteract incivility and aggression in society...
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A Caïd copiously wedged in public by a young girl in Témara. Another had his head smashed in and his arm broken in the peaceful Oasis of Aoufous. A third was generously slapped in Mohammadia.
A policeman stabbed in the neck by a young man who had come to lend a helping hand to his mother, a shopkeeper occupying the public space. A teacher savagely attacked with a knife by a pupil in Erfoud.
A colossus causing chaos in the beautiful Rabat city railway station.
A road accident not far from Merzouga, where a speeding driver hit a peaceful American tourist who had come to enjoy the wonders of the Kingdom; both died instantly.
That's too many violent incidents for one week.
Far from conducting a psychological or psychiatric analysis of these cases, we can nonetheless find similarities and a few points in common, namely: incivility, overexcitement, violence and obvious distress, provoking strong emotion at the scene and commotion among those confronted with these news items in the media.
One wonders whether we are not confusing people suffering from proven mental disorders with ordinary citizens who, at some point, may disrupt public order or commit unforgivable or even irreparable acts. This is not a misguided shortcut, far from it. Back in 2022, the HCP told us that 48.9% of citizens suffered from mental disorders.
Who is going to rush at a policeman with a knife in his hand or drive without measuring the danger, if not someone who is abnormal? Who doesn't respect the life of others if not someone monstrous? Would the woman who rushed at the civil servant have done so if she were psychologically stable? Any dangerous behavior, any action that disrupts public peace and quiet is indicative of latent evil. At times of great distress, it will manifest itself in excess and aggression.
Distress and psychological instability are often interconnected, indicating deep-seated anxiety, a probable lack of affection and self-esteem, and hidden suffering in the family, at school, at work and in society. Harassment, fatigue, alcohol and drugs are never far away. This leads to, and legitimizes in the eyes of the individual, acts that he or she may, however, regret in the moments that follow. Negative impulses appear at times of stress and are common when we are sleep-deprived. Everyone knows that aggression is more than present in our daily lives during Ramadan.
Insulting, slapping, speeding and stabbing all have a common denominator. The loss of self-control reveals a deep-seated psychological instability. Various situations will bring this weakness to the fore when, for example, we feel that our dignity has been damaged, our honor impugned, our honorability scorned by the actions and behavior of others. So, we act, and unfortunately, we act badly.
It has to be said that when it's not a question of real illness but rather of acquired or suffered behavior, then the lack of instruction, of education, will have played a fundamental role in the formation of deviance. A lack of education in the family, at school and in society is the lever that generates a lack of respect, tolerance and self-control.
Education remains the only vector for socialization. The family and then the school are the first structures of socialization. It is here that future citizens learn the rules of community life, respect for the integrity of others' bodies, politeness and respect for others. This is where peaceful interaction in society is shaped.
Clearly, the failure of families to play their vital role, the absence of clear points of reference and positive role models, the proliferation of repetitive nihilistic discourse and destructive propaganda promising a better world elsewhere, all encourage disrespectful, aggressive and violent behavior. Don't Moroccans feel unhappy?
Families, schools, clubs and associations of all kinds must develop young people's benevolence, solidarity and empathy, enabling them to better understand the emotions of others and avoid brutality.
Activity, particularly physical education from primary school onwards, has a lasting impact on emotional education and conflict management, through obedience to pre-established common rules that are respected by all.
Playing sport helps children learn to manage their emotions, thereby reducing petulance. Young people learn to express their frustrations in ways other than violence. This helps to drastically reduce tensions. Mediation by referees enables conflicts to be resolved and respectful behavior to be integrated from an early age, resulting in calmer relations in the community.
Adults and institutions must play their role as role models, teachers first and foremost. Their qualifications must not be approximate, either in technical terms or in their ability to pass on values.
If aggression and violence are on the increase, it's because adults, parents, teachers and authority figures have failed.
Are they aware of this?
Those in power must understand that there is no alternative to education, and to achieve this, school codes, fashions and curricula must be revisited and geared towards socialization values. Teachers must be properly trained and no longer recruited on the job.
Tinkering with physical education at primary school needs to stop. This subject is extremely important from a very young age. It needs to be strengthened later, in colleges and lycées, with more hours taught by qualified, volunteer teachers. Finally, sport must have a proper place in universities. It's a shame that this won't be the case in 2025.
The world of sport must play its part and assume its responsibilities. It's hard to believe that the number of members of sports clubs and associations is still very low, at just over three hundred thousand.
For some time now, it has been thought that religious education alone was capable of fulfilling the mission of teaching values. This has not worked, and we need to recognize this without demagoguery and with courage.
Our prisons are overcrowded with young people who would have no business being there if the system really worked.
Favoring punishment alone to deal with incivility and aggressive behavior is not efficient. Only by taking an educational approach can we better understand the underlying causes and take lasting action on any damaging phenomena.
This is the only way to bring about change and bring about lasting social harmony and prosperity.
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Brawl in a mosque...
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Surprisingly brutal images have been circulated by some people and have quickly became viral on the web, and with good reason: They relate a brawl in a mosque.
In Khénifra, an otherwise peaceful mosque, built for the spiritual needs of the people, was transformed in a split second into a ring. A worshipper had generously brought along a few bottles of water so that his companions could quench their thirst if need be - something very customary during this holy month.
The muezzin that evening, probably faced with the profusion of water on offer, grabbed a few bottles to take home. This was not to the liking of one of the worshippers. He shouted at the muezzin, who didn't appreciate what he was saying, finding it offensive. Tempers flared and the peaceful mosque experienced a life-size MMA fight.
Of course, these images can be seen as harmless and even amusing; as amusing as those of the thief subtly stealing carpets from another mosque.
We can also sense a lack of civic-mindedness on the part of both the muezzin and the vigilante.
This altercation should be seen in conjunction with all the samples recorded in front of and inside secondary schools; what goes on in and around stadiums, in markets and souks, on public transport, on the roads, even in hospitals - it's all too much.
Uncivil behavior and social violence are a rampant scourge that spares no space.
We can turn the page and conclude that this is neither surprising nor peculiar to Morocco. Uncivil behavior and social violence are phenomena that are on the increase in contemporary societies. This would trivialize manifestations of tension between individuals, belligerent behavior, disrespectful behavior, breaches of the rules of community life and infringements of the laws and rules of life in society.
Take, for example, the number of accidents and deaths on our roads each year: around 4,000 lives lost. This represents a loss of 19.5 billion DHS per year. It's a form of violence and incivizm. Morocco ranks 110th in terms of road safety.
In fact, violence is the same, except that it takes different forms, is expressed according to circumstances, and manifests itself according to the situation and context. The violent young person in front of his school may later express his aggression at the wheel of a car or in a football stadium, and again in a mosque. These behaviors are strictly linked. To deal with them, they must not be isolated from each other.
Incivizm is a lack of respect for social norms, whatever they may be. It is also a manifestation of a state of mind, or perhaps of being fed up with an economic situation, a lack of integration, frustration, injustice or a lack of education.
Anyone who throws rubbish in inappropriate places is not exercising violence. But isn't he expressing something that's eating him up inside? Anyone who vandalizes a bus or a school, or who expressly refuses to respect common property, is exercising a kind of violence.
Lack of civic-mindedness has a high social cost and an enormous economic cost. It has harmful consequences for social life. It undermines the quality of life, accentuates inequalities and creates a climate of mistrust between citizens. It widens differences and divides. On the one hand, people will speak with disdain of those who are economically less well-off; on the other, they will speak of the impunity of the powerful, of injustice, of a lack of equality, of the unfair distribution of wealth.
Seen in this way, violence in all its forms and from any faction is a real danger to social cohesion. It can take the form of conflict, verbal or physical aggression and discrimination, undermining social peace. It can take many forms. Fights, assaults and criminal acts are never isolated from their social and political environment, unless they are engendered by such a context, which provides a breeding ground for radicalization and extremism.
A society that trivializes verbal violence, insults, harassment and hate speech is a suffering, frustrated society. A society that may be responding to another form of violence, the real or perceived institutional violence responsible for inequalities and lack of access to fundamental rights.
It is expressed as the result of accumulated frustrations, perceived injustices and a lack of dialogue and mutual respect.
The comments made by citizens about the high cost of living reflect precisely this kind of frustration, and are directed at the institutions. We have seen violent altercations on this occasion.
So, what should we do?
Let it pass as if nothing had happened; consider the phenomenon to be normal or seize upon it and try to rectify the situation.
This is perhaps the most complex task ahead of the World Cup in 2030.
Social dialogue must not be limited to a few meetings with unions that are not very representative. It must be broadened and developed to encourage communication and mediation to defuse tensions.
In particular, this dialogue must encourage Moroccans to get involved. They must no longer be seen as minors and consumers, but as actors. They must be encouraged to participate as citizens in preserving their living environment and promoting mutual respect.
Schools need to be genuinely reformed, offering a living environment rather than a mechanical space for brainwashing. Students must participate in the management of their schools. It's their school. Their views should take precedence over any instructions or programs devised here and there without any real connection to the particular environment and context of each region and each school. The school system must favor education over instruction. The university environment must be one of awareness of responsible participation. There is an urgent need to inculcate common values from an early age. Religion alone is not enough. Moroccan citizens must learn to respect the law and not be afraid of it.
Of course, we also need tougher penalties, and the equal application of deterrent measures to discourage uncivil and violent behavior. That goes without saying.
It's about consolidating the social harmony that is so necessary for our development. And it is with this collective awareness, with concerted action, that we will build a more respectful and peaceful environment, thus avoiding fights in the mosques too.
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Couscous or the history of Morocco in a different way...
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The text below is not mine. It's a press release issued by researcher Nabil Mouline.
For those who don't already know him, Si Nabil has a doctorate in history from the Université Paris-Sorbonne and Sciences Po Paris, which makes him both a historian and a political scientist. He is currently a researcher at the CNRS in Paris and the author of numerous articles and books, making him one of the leading specialists in the history of Morocco. He tells this unique, varied and rich history in his own way, with a narrative stripped of the frills and imprecision that can be found elsewhere.
Nabil Mouline has made it his mission to bring Moroccans closer to their history and to make it easier for everyone to understand the characters, facts, situations and historical contexts, so as to help us, especially the younger generations, to grasp it, be inspired by it and make it our own; to live it to the full and be proud of it.
In an exceptional recent educational effort, Si Mouline has teamed up with one of Morocco's best-loved faces, Mustapha ElFakkak, known as Swinga, to tell us this story in the form of an animated series. Si Mustapha's majestic and perfectly adapted voice gives the series a special appeal.
It didn't take long for it to become a hit, as Moroccans are so thirsty to have their history told in a way other than what is imposed on them at school.
The series is called Basmat Al-Tourath. The first issue is devoted to the history of couscous, while the second looks at the origins of the Almohad dynasty and the treasures hidden in Tinmel. Both have now amassed almost 400,000 views on YouTube.
Below is the link to the first episode.
Here is the text by Si Nabil Mouline.
‘Basmat al-Tourath: History as an issue of narrative sovereignty
History is never neutral. It is a disputed territory, a battlefield on which the way in which people perceive themselves and the way in which they want to be perceived is decided. Far from being a simple archive of the past, heritage is a political and identity issue that determines the future. It is with this acute awareness that historian and CNRS researcher Nabil Mouline has conceived Basmat al-Tourath (The imprint of heritage), the very first animated series devoted to Morocco's tangible and intangible heritage. It's a project that doesn't just tell the story: it embodies it, reclaims it and brings it into the present.
The stakes are twofold. On the one hand, it is about making history a living narrative, accessible to all, far removed from closed academic circles and fixed textbooks. On the other hand, it is a question of conquering ‘narrative sovereignty’, a fundamental concept which underlines the extent to which the way in which a people tells its past conditions the way in which it projects itself into the future. Basmat al-Tourath is therefore not simply a popularisation exercise, but an act of historical reconstruction, a strategic tool in the face of the contemporary challenges of cultural appropriation and memory battles.
To give this project its full scope, Pr. Mouline has teamed up with Mustapha El Fekkak, alias ‘Swinga’, one of the most important popularisers in the Moroccan digital world. Together, they have decided to offer a format that combines scientific rigour and powerful storytelling, so that each episode is a truly immersive experience.
A weekly programme during Ramadan
Every Friday evening during the month of Ramadan, a new episode will explore a fundamental aspect of Moroccan heritage. The first episode, devoted to Tinmel, revealed to the general public the essential role played by this village in the High Atlas in the formation of the Almohad Empire, a veritable medieval superpower that ruled over a vast part of the Islamic world. This immersive approach has helped to anchor Tinmel in the collective imagination not simply as an archaeological site, but as a religious, intellectual and military centre that changed the history of the region.
The next three episodes will tackle equally fascinating subjects, but their themes are deliberately being kept secret in order to maintain the suspense and impatience of the audience. The aim of this strategy is to transform Basmat al-Tourath into a truly unmissable cultural event, a time for discovery and reflection shared by Moroccans everywhere.
History as a power issue
Basmat al-Tourath has attracted so much attention because it responds to a pressing need: to give Moroccans back control over their own history, in the face of recurring attempts at cultural appropriation. The quarrels over the origins of the caftan, couscous or certain traditions are not simply folkloric disputes, but reflect deeper clashes over legitimacy and regional hegemony. Behind these debates, what is at stake is the crystallisation of ipsity, that awareness of oneself as a unique and distinct entity.
Basmat al-Tourath not only recounts the past, she also highlights it as a precious heritage, an essential element of collective identity to be preserved and passed on. Morocco, with its remarkable historical continuity, has a responsibility to make its heritage known and recognised, ensuring that it is faithfully represented and fully appreciated.
A project for transmission and outreach
As well as showcasing our heritage, this series is also intended to be a tool for passing on our heritage. History that is not shared risks being erased over time. Basmat al-Tourath aims to anchor the Moroccan memory in new generations, offering them modern, accessible formats to help them better understand and appropriate their cultural heritage.
By highlighting the richness and diversity of Morocco's heritage, this project also contributes to its influence beyond its borders. Heritage is an essential vector of cultural influence, and by promoting its historical and civilisational identity, Morocco is strengthening both its national cohesion and its attractiveness on the international stage.
Basmat al-Tourath is much more than a simple series; it's a way of transmitting and raising awareness, a commitment to a living, shared history. It invites us to consider the past not as a fixed memory, but as a source of inspiration for building the future.
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African Cup of Nations: will the public be there?
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African Cup of Nations: will the public be there?
The 2030 World Cup is fast approaching, but even closer to home is the African Cup of Nations, which we will be hosting at the end of this year.
Many people are asking questions about the renovation and rebuilding of the stadiums. The photos and a few videos picked up here and there show that things are progressing well and that soon, certainly before the opening of the African Cup of Nations, all the stadiums will be operational. Those in charge should be a little more transparent on this subject and hold press briefings from time to time. This would put everyone's minds at rest, put a stop to the lies and untruths told by some and, above all, encourage the population to support the success of this organization.
The success of such competition also depends on the support of the public, who should feel concerned. After all, it's with their taxes that stadiums are built and it's to boost the progress of our country that we host this kind of event. We would do well to look at them not just as consumers of events, but as a key element in their success.
The success of an event depends on the quality of the organization, and there is no need to worry about that. Morocco has always shown great expertise and mastery in this field. Combined with the secular hospitality of the Moroccan people, all the events organized on Moroccan soil have met with immeasurable success.
Success also depends on the level of infrastructure on offer. Here too, there is no problem, as the country has been a master of major projects for some time now. The engineering, architecture and work carried out by national companies have shown great efficiency and a level of mastery worthy of the world's greatest nations. Morocco will deliver true monuments to the glory of sport. And there will be much to be proud of. Let's just hope that the Moroccan touch will not be omitted and that many craftsmen will be involved in the finishing touches and decorations. This would create a lot of jobs and boost the sector in much the same way as the Hassan II mosque did.
The third pillar of success is, of course, a Moroccan victory. A country that hosts international sporting events also does so to shine. It's been almost 50 years since the Moroccans last lifted the African trophy. That's still a lot for the country that was the first to represent the continent, the first African country to get past the first round and top of the group, if you please, and the first just recently to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. Morocco are feeling the pressure, even if their performance in Côte d'Ivoire was disappointing. The public, and the footballing public in particular, cannot imagine anyone other than the Moroccan captain lifting the famous Cup.
The fourth element of success is public support, and not just when it comes to the Moroccan team's matches. Success is also measured by the number of spectators present at all matches. There are some real concerns here, and there are certainly questions to be asked and answers to be found.
Morocco already hosted an African Cup of Nations in 1988. While the Moroccan matches were sold out, the others were played in an embarrassingly intimate atmosphere. I was a member of the organizing committee and frankly we were ashamed and had no explanation to give to the leaders of the participating nations. We all thought that we were a football country and that the stadiums were going to be packed.
So the question was asked in 1988, but has anything changed since then?
Developments in recent years show us that we have several types of football fans. We have club supporters. We have the fanatics who only travel for their club. Let's not dwell on some of the behavior of the latter, which has led many football fans to stop going to the stadium. We have the national team fans. And that's another sociological profile. We also have the millions of spectators in cafés who follow European competitions in particular. Many also support certain prestigious foreign clubs, organize themselves into communities and even travel to support their teams.
Who will fill the CAN stadiums?
In March, we will have the chance to experience a real-life test. Morocco will be hosting no fewer than twelve African matches as part of the World Cup qualifiers, in six different cities. While there will be no problems in Oujda, where the Moroccan national team will be playing, what will happen in Meknes, where Côte d'Ivoire will be playing Burundi? It would be incomprehensible for the African champions to perform in a sparsely packed stadium. The same goes for Berkane, where Mali, a direct opponent of the national team, will be playing, or Eljadida, where Burkina Faso, known for their high-quality, shimmering football, will be playing. But what about the Larbi Zaouli stadium in Casablanca, which will host both Mali and Egypt, with world-class stars on both sides. We are here in Casablanca, the most populous city where club fanaticism is at its peak. Would things be better at the El Houceima stadium, where Ghana will be playing?
There is no doubt that Africans and the world press would be astonished to see top-level matches taking place without a crowd or atmosphere.
Let's wait and see, but right now things don't seem very clear. There is virtually no coverage in the media and that is a bad omen. The press must play its part in informing and encouraging the public to go and enjoy such world-class performances.
Coming back to the CAN, we also need to think about the realities of the continent. First of all, let's not forget the size of Africa and the scarcity of air links, which make air fares very expensive. Those who make comparisons with Europe are very much mistaken. It takes 3? hours to fly from Moscow to Paris, exactly the same as from Casablanca to Dakar. On the other hand, it takes 5h30 to get to Yaoundé or Douala, for example. Not to mention East or South Africa...
In other words, it's up to the Moroccans to fill the stadiums, both in March and next December, and to do so we must not forget to work on the issue of football culture. Moroccans certainly love football when it involves them. They have to love it for the quality of the spectacle and make the effort to show it even when it's not their club or their national team playing. This is no mean feat. It has to be taken seriously - the success of a test event before 2030 and the economic profitability of the project are at stake.
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Meat prices: the upward spiral is stopped dead in its tracks...
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If there's one issue that has been preoccupying the public for a long time, and which has unfortunately been prolonged, it's the cost of living. It is perceived as unreal by a large fringe of society. In fact, it's not just a feeling, but a bitter reality that the government has been unable to rectify. It has never been easy to curb inflation anywhere in the world, except by means of drastic and unpopular decisions. What is currently happening in Argentina is the perfect illustration of this difficulty. The Moroccan government is not ready to shoulder such responsibility, especially as some of its so-called social decisions have contributed to the current situation.
Since the COVID pandemic, inflation has not stopped. There has of course been imported inflation, particularly since the outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, but there has also been domestic inflation, which has been there since certain decisions were taken by PJD governments. The long-term rise in prices has also accelerated as a result of the money distributed by the current government, for reasons that are quite understandable from a human point of view.
Citizens no longer know where to turn. The HCP confirms that there has been a slight overall improvement in Morocco, which is to be welcomed, but not for everyone. Gaps are still widening, and precariousness is catching up with a middle class that has been weakened for almost ten years now, one after the other.
Against this bitter backdrop, over the past few weeks people have been looking ahead to Ramadan with uncertainty, and have already been talking about Eid, wondering how they are going to make ends meet. They dared to make alarming comments, vociferating recurrently, particularly on social networks and via certain ‘specialist’ websites. Clear demands have been made of the government. Each time, it has timidly tried to respond, without being convincing. Each day that the good Lord has done for a few weeks, not to say months, has only widened the gap, to the point where a crack has been felt in the coalition at the helm. The leader of the Istiqlal party came out clearly on the side of the plaintiffs, taking up the arguments of this important fringe of society.
The situation is very special. The impact of 6 successive years of lack of rain on grazing and therefore on livestock is palpable. As a result, in line with economic logic, prices are on an upward trend. At the same time, it should be noted that for some years now, the habits of Moroccans have changed considerably. Improved living standards and certain cultural biases mean that we slaughter more sheep than any other Muslim country, especially when you compare the number of animals sacrificed on this sacred day of Aid with the number of inhabitants. In fact, the 36 million Moroccans that we have been for some time now sacrifice some 6 million animals every year on a single day. That's almost a third of the national sheep herd. Moroccans, who are very attached to tradition, are the people who sacrifice the largest number of sheep on Aid El Kebir. By way of example, our neighbors, who have a population of five million, only sacrifice between 3 and 3.5 million animals. In the Gulf countries and even in Mecca during the pilgrimage, people prefer to spend the equivalent of the amount needed to buy a sheep on charity.
The impasse.
It was clear that a powerful and far-reaching decision was needed to turn the tide.
And it was through a message that His Majesty the King, may God assist him, in his capacity as Commander of the Faithful, came to break the spiral and restore hope to the people.
When Si Ahmed Taoufiq, Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs, read the royal message calling on the faithful to refrain from performing the rite of sacrifice for Eid, he could never have imagined the scale of the demonstrations of joy that the solemnly pronounced words would provoke. Back home, Moroccans instantly appreciated the invitation and chanted prayers in unison for His Majesty's health. The weight and impact of the Sovereign's words on the occasion were like a balm, healing wounds and reassuring people. In the cafés, some people behaved as they did when our national team scored goals in the World Cup. Chairs jumped up and down, and the joy and emotion were palpable. Moroccans approved and were satisfied and happy.
The next day, things had changed.
I was particularly surprised that beef was offered at 75 dirhams in Temara on Saturday. The price fell by 40 dirhams in record time.
The impact of the royal message shook things up. Tongues have been loosened. Some speculators were exposed, while others reported that some players in the industry were not declaring the exact number of animals in their possession, or were not even declaring any at all. As if by magic, all these fine people came out of the woodwork, some to complain, some to express their discontent. In fact, people whose job is not to rear sheep have no structure to look after them. Generally speaking, all they have are sheds and staff to look after them. Their difficulty now is how to sell the quantity of sheep they trade in.
It became clear that the effects of the drought were in fact combined with those of unbridled speculation at the expense of the consumer.
The situation today is that meat is in the process of returning to the affordable, even normal, pre-crisis prices it was before the crisis, without imports and without any public aid being distributed for this purpose. In fact, without any intervention from the government, whose previous attempts have failed.
Things are unlikely to stop there. The fall in the price of sheep has led to a fall in the price of cattle, and will probably lead to a fall in the price of goats, chicken and fish. The balance of these products in the consumer basket will inevitably rebalance prices to everyone's advantage.
The upward spiral has been stopped dead in its tracks.
Moroccan citizens have once again had proof, if proof were needed, of the closeness of His Majesty Amir Almoumine and feel perfectly well protected.
As I write these words, a song pops into my head: habib aljamahir by Abdelwahab Doukkali.
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Macron in the White House, the hidden humiliation...
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Without a doubt, the followed event this week was Macron's visit to the US. How he would be treated after the cold sweats endured with skill and patience by the King of Jordan and the Polish President, assigned to wait in the corridors for an hour and a half before being given 10 minutes of interview time, suffering a cruel humiliation at his expense. He will not be returning here any time soon. Unless...
From the first images, it was clear that things were going to be different. Hugs, familiarity, debonair and mocking laughter followed in quick succession. Was this obvious duplicity or a posture of convenience? Who knows? Both were overacting. Trump is known to be a jokester, he showed a great sympathy for his guest, mentioning Notre-Dame and describing Mrs Macron as charming.Macron, on the other hand was more annoyed than genuinely happy.His joy appeared at times when his forehead relaxed for a few seconds. He must have wondered, and with him the press, a little larger than usual: had he been received here for his stature, out of consideration for his country or as the leader of Europe, which he wanted to play by beating the British PM to the White House?
Poorly seated in the Voltaire armchair to the right of his host, with the backdrop of a fireplace that had not been lit for, Macron was about to be subjected to a veritable diatribe from Trump. At his Resolute Desk, in front of a lectern or in an armchair, Trump is the same: self-assured, determined and oblivious to what others may think. What matters is what he says. We're used to the US Presidents speaking on behalf of departments that meticulously prepared the remarks, the narrative and the story. Now it's Trump who sets the course, unashamedly in public; it's up to the administration to implement.
Macron will therefore have to endure and, above all, learn things first-hand. Trump began by announcing that Zelensky would be flying to Washington ‘either this week or next week to sign’. So, he's telling Macron in public what he is normally supposed to do in private, away from the cameras.
In fact, he is trumpeting the economic capitulation of Zelensky, whom he had stripped of legitimacy a few days before, calling him a dictator. In essence, he is saying that he wants to recover the American money unjustly spent by Biden on an idiotic war. He set the figure at 350 billion USD. To do this, he is going to get his hands on the rare earths in Ukraine. Concomitantly Putin says that he is ready to cooperate with the Americans to exploit these minerals.
In fact, much of this wealth are in the areas annexed by Putin which he calls ‘the new territories’. When asked about Ukraine's recovery of the land it lost during the war, Trump replied ‘it's not easy’. These heralds the other phase of the capitulation. It's territorial, no doubts any more.
By linking these remarks to those in which Trump informs that Ukraine will have to forget its desire to join NATO, is he not announcing the political capitulation and the end of the Zelensky who more than ever, must regret having played with fire. Respecting the Minsk agreements would perhaps have spared him what he is about to experience: losing rare earths, ceding 20% of the territory and probably giving up his presidency.
Macron seemed to be sitting on a folding seat with no margin of comfort; so uncomfortable that you could see the pronounced wrinkles on his nervously contracted forehead and his furrowed brows. He was being tutored by Trump. Embarrassment on the one hand, ease, precision and assurance on the other. He made several attempts to speak, while his host looked the other way. When he finally conceded the courtesy of letting him speak, Macron was a little confused before finding a decent speaking rhythm and a presidential voice. He even apologized for speaking French. In such circumstances one often returns to mother tongue to regain a little ease. When he said that Europe would like a swift, fair and lasting agreement, implying that he was refusing a dictatorship, Trump did not flinch. He had said what he had to say and would not discuss it. The future of the region is not being decided in Europe but in Saudi Arabia, which is entitled of epithets, each more eulogistic than the last, with its Crown Prince, whom he calls King, incidentally. Macron seems to be addressing the Frenchs and Europeans. Trump is addressing Americans and the world. He repeats that if he had been president, this war would never have happened. He blames his predecessor, and at the same time the European warmongers.
Indeed, come to think of it, with a bit of hindsight, without justifying Putin's warlike enterprise, who among the Europeans still talks about the Azov regiment, which came into being in 2014 in Mariupol, a neo-Nazi formation that sowed terror among Russian speakers, weighing heavily on the country's politics and largely contributing to the election of Zelensky? Every day, they marched in their provocative black outfits, yellow flags with a stylized swastika on their arms, pumped up on hormones, shouting ultra-nationalist chants of rare malice. At the time, this seemed to annoy the Europeans, who magically forgot all about Azov as soon as Putin began the invasion, which he justified as a fight against Nazism. Who is still talking about the Minsk agreements and the trick played by Merkel and Hollande to buy time for Ukraine? These agreements were signed to guarantee peace. Ukraine never respected them, with Europe's blessing.
Trump does not mention any of this, but makes it clear that the European position of cutting off all relations with Putin was ill-advised. Macron tryed to justify himself but was not convincing anyone. This is borne out by the very few questions to him. He wanted to gain a foothold in the situation, proposing that Europe is prepared to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. Is this naivety or much worse? Trump cast a furtive glance at his ‘counterpart’ and moved on. How could Putin accept a European army on his borders, from countries that financed a war against his armies. European troops there would be like installing NATO without the Americans.
When Macron tried to position Europe on the question of the sums spent, saying that Europe had contributed 60% of the war effort, Trump smiled sarcastically, one arm stretched forward, waved his hand as if to say:‘I don't believe you, you little liar’. A cute gesture, highly indicative of Trump's perception of his European peers. It also means: the rare earth’s affairs is between Putin and me.
Final signature to this skillfully orchestrated production, a journalist confirmed to Trump that he had the broad support of the Americans for everything he was doing. The powerful man nodded generously as he straightened his torso, as if to say to his host: ‘You see, I have the support of my people, not you’.
In the Oval Office that afternoon, a guest was treated politely, but there was only one interlocutor, and that was Mr Trump.
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Personality Psychology Part 1 : The Mind of a Control Freak
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A control freak is someone who has an overwhelming need to dictate people and situations, often to the point of obsession. Their desire for control stems from different factors, including anxiety, insecurity, or even underlying psychological conditions like Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). While they may believe their meticulous oversight ensures perfection, their behavior often damages relationships and creates unnecessary tension.
Why Do Some People Become Control Freaks?
Anxiety: A person who struggles with anxiety may attempt to control everything around them to minimize uncertainty and reduce stress.
Insecurity: Those with low self-esteem or a history of being controlled themselves may develop controlling tendencies as a defense mechanism.
OCD and Perfectionism: Some individuals have an intense preoccupation with perfection, organization, and structure, making them hyper-controlling in their interactions.
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Signs of a Control Freak:
They rarely, if ever, admit when they are wrong.
They blame others for mistakes rather than accepting responsibility.
Delegating tasks is difficult because they don’t trust others to do things correctly.
They micromanage, obsessing over small details rather than focusing on the bigger picture.
They may try to undermine others' reputations to maintain a sense of superiority.
Lying—whether about their behavior or yours—is a common tactic for maintaining control.
Extreme jealousy often accompanies their need for dominance.
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The Desperation of Losing Control:
The most dangerous moment is when a control freak feels they are losing their grip. When this happens, they will do everything in their power to regain control—no matter the cost.
They may reach out to your surroundings, trying to manipulate your friends, family, or colleagues against you.
They could spread false information, twist narratives, or play the victim to make you look like the problem.
In extreme cases, they might resort to emotional or psychological attacks, using guilt, fear, or even threats to pull you back into their influence.
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Not everyone responds to control the same way. If you attempt to dominate someone who recognizes what you're doing—and knows how you operate—they may see it as a threat rather than an inconvenience.
Some people will leave you for good, cutting ties entirely rather than tolerating manipulation.
Others will wait for the right moment to strike, using your need for control against you. They may anticipate your actions, exploit your weaknesses, or retaliate in ways you never saw coming.
A control freak often believes they are in charge, but in reality, those who understand manipulation can either escape it or turn it into a weapon.
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If you are experiencing this, just be pure, open you heart, and pity them, don’t hate them. Beneath the manipulation and obsession is a person who is suffering—someone so afraid of uncertainty, failure, or rejection that they feel the need to control everything around them.
They may hurt others, but in the end, they are hurting themselves the most.
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Rare diseases are not as rare as they seem...
6616
On Saturday february 22, I had the privilege of attending the 6th Rare Disease Day. Dr Khadija Moussayer, President of the Moroccan Rare Diseases Alliance, did me the honour, and I thank her for allowing me to sit at the table with the great medical professors who were going to discuss cutting-edge medical issues, requiring expertise and mastery of various subjects, as well as a deep humanism and a certain love of the country and its people.
Unfortunately, I was only able to attend half of the proceedings, for which I am very sorry.
So-called rare diseases are not in fact all that rare. They may be rare in terms of numbers, but they are so common that they are a daily occurrence in medical circles. They are rare because they are often invisible in a social environment that does not yet understand them or does not understand them well enough. They have a heavy impact on the emotional, sociological and economic life of families and enormously on the lives of the people affected. They are not yet adequately treated in university curricula, and are poorly understood by general practitioners and even by many paediatricians. Increasingly easy access to medical treatment is bringing these conditions out into the open, revealing their complexity and diversity to the medical community itself, as well as to families and society at large.
They have an enormous psychological impact on families, disorientating them, tearing them apart and impoverishing them. Because of their genetic nature, they leave the families and individuals concerned in doubt, and plunge them into anxiety, disgust and self-hatred. Negative emotional reasoning and feelings of responsibility are never far away. This is often the driving force behind heavy social prejudice. Tradition and lack of education do the rest. They can go so far as to break up a family and often make the woman responsible. I myself met a young woman who was repudiated and rejected simply because she had given birth to a Marfan child. Her husband and family blamed her for the problematic birth and put her out on the street. Today, she is bringing up her child alone and is fighting to feed him, look after him, educate him and have his difference understood and accepted at school.
Rare diseases are even more problematic, when you consider that doctors don't come across them every day in their consultations, and can even go so far as to ignore their existence. Their diagnoses are so complex at times that they require the intervention of multiple highly qualified specialities to define their existence and the protocols to be followed. More than in any other situation, the person diagnosed needs to be followed by more than one specialist at the same time. Is this always the case?
Special tribute must be paid here to Professors Asmaa Quessar and Amine Benmoussa, who addressed the issue from the haematological point of view, explaining the complexity of the manifestations of some of these diseases and the impact of certain treatments. Professor FZ El Fatoiki focused in particular on skin manifestations, which in fact hide many things inside and are therefore crucial to diagnosis.
Professor Imane Chahid received a special mention for her presentation on type 1 neurofibromatosis, which goes beyond café au lait spots. She recommended the creation of working groups involving all the specialities concerned, in order to limit patients' medical wandering and save time, efficiency and money. We need to explain to mothers that café au lait spots on a baby's skin are not ‘touhimates’. This ignorance can delay the treatment of a child with the disease, with all the consequences that can entail.
That's true.
One of the problems faced by families is medical wandering. Patients can spend a long time consulting and treating symptoms - ophthalmological, gastric, dermatological, etc. - before being diagnosed with a rare disease. Wandering is extremely costly.
The testimony of a father who lost two children was particularly poignant. It was an emotional moment. The dignity and courage he showed make him an admirable character.
I was reassured by the youth and commitment of more than one of the speakers. The sheer number and quality of people in attendance, and the questions asked by professionals and parents, show that there is a growing interest and expertise. The clarifications and commitment expressed on behalf of Moroccan geneticists by Prof. Karim Ouldim augur better days ahead, and a probably innovative approach to rapid and early diagnosis, and hence to treatment. In a way, he was responding to Prof. Chahid's call to work in clusters.
Taking an interest in genetics brings us back to the question of data and the power of our computers. When it comes to genetics, AI is going to play a vital role, and if Morocco is not to suffer from the biases of others, it must compile and process its own data and train machines capable of understanding the specific genetic characteristics of Moroccans, because there are some, and that's normal. Any delay in this area will result in a lack of control, a squandering of skills, waste and a failure to respond effectively to the real needs of citizens.
A fundamental question hovered over the room just before the lunch break: why is it that the work carried out by eminent Moroccans, the results of research carried out in the country and other discoveries are not taken into account in the establishment of public health policies? The gap between Moroccan research and the spheres of political decision-making is simply abnormal. A country can only progress from within through scientific research and hard work. Public policy must be based on innovation and research in the Moroccan field. Benchmarking is good, but research at national level is even better. I had the impression, and I was not the only one, that politicians go so far as to ignore, not to say despise, national skills, preferring to put their trust in foreign consultancies that are often ill-advised and ignorant of Moroccan realities and particularities. This is one of the reasons why our health and other systems are being hampered and impacted.
It's unfortunate to be asking such questions in 2025.
The day was an immeasurable success and deserves a great deal of media coverage, because the aim was to raise awareness. Lalla Khadija Moussayer and her team succeeded. We can never thank them enough for that.
Thank you also for giving me the opportunity to meet Professor Mohammed Itri, an eminent paediatrician who left Rabat to teach at the CHU Ibn Rochd, but who never forgot his neighbourhood and his childhood neighbours...
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Gaza and AI are just a few words away...
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The second week of February saw Israeli hostages exchanged for Palestinians. The Hamsaouis were still armed to the teeth. The bombings did not do much. This happened against the backdrop of President Trump's confirmation that there would be a Gaza Rivera without the Palestinians. Bluffing is becoming a constant in the President's language. He said that he was 99% certain that Egypt and Jordan would agree to receive him, brandishing the fatal weapon of the dollar.
When he received the King of Jordan in the Oval Office, it was a painful moment bordering on humiliation. It took all the class and dexterity of the Hashemite sovereign to finally get through it, his face taut and red with barely veiled anger and sadness. He had to stand his ground and he did.
Trump seems to be ignoring history and geography, or at least not taking them into consideration. Let's wait for the Arab summit on 27 February in Cairo and the reactions of countries that have so far been silent or in a state of expectation. In the meantime, Hamas is begging the Arab countries for help, going so far as to acknowledge at last that 7 October was a mistake.
Trump quickly moved on to other things. After 19 minutes and 55 seconds with the King of Jordan, he now had a long telephone conversation with Putin lasting almost an hour and a half. The two men seem to be on the same wavelength. They say they want peace in Ukraine as soon as possible. The future of the troublemaker Zelensky seems to be numbered. In principle, the Europeans say that peace cannot be achieved without them. They don't have the power, divided as they are.
At the same time, the Palestinian Authority, or what is left of it, has thanked His Majesty King Mohammed VI for his intervention to release funds held back by Israel for its benefit.
What is happening in Gaza has overshadowed the most important event of the month: the Paris summit on artificial intelligence. Almost every country in the world was there. Some were represented by their presidents, such as India and the Emirates. China and the USA were represented by their respective vice-presidents. The American president's remarks were in line with his own. This just goes to show how important this issue is for the future of humanity as a whole. Some want fairness, others balance, and still others transparency and ethics. This is difficult to achieve when the world's major players do not sign the final resolutions and make no commitment to restrict their domination and the technological development that serves them first. 61 countries have signed up to an open, inclusive and ethical AI, not including the USA and the United Kingdom.
On the fringes of the summit, there was a very important meeting of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence, which today brings together some fifty countries. This was necessary, as many countries, including Morocco, are knocking on the door to join. The young body took the opportunity to take stock of its strategy, which it is seeking to bring into line with the OECD's recommendations on AI.
While many countries are campaigning to reduce the gap between nations as much as possible, it has to be said that this is not going down well with the purists and the naïve. The gap is already there, with the two behemoths, the USA and China, firmly in the lead. Others are hoping and doing their utmost to catch up, notably India and now France, which has announced its intention to invest $109 billion in AI. To achieve this, they are joining forces with the United Arab Emirates, which will contribute $50 billion, and Canada, which will inject $20 billion into the project. The most important thing is to have their own data centres. Data being the sinews of war at this level, alongside technology of course. The amount announced by France is still a far cry from the 500 billion American project. We're on a different planet here.
But do we need so much money when we learn that DeepSeek, developed by the Chinese, only cost USD 6 million? What China isn't saying is that it started from where the Americans had arrived with heavy investment, even using INVIDIA cards, albeit from a slightly earlier generation.
To get an idea of the differences, consider that in terms of data centres, there are 5,381 in the USA, compared with 521 in Germany, 449 in China, 315 in France and just 219 in Japan, for example. The USA has more than 50% of the world's data storage capacity, compared with 16% for China. Africa is counted in the rest of the world, a truly negligible quantity.
Having data and computing centres is first and foremost a matter of will and funding, as well as the ability to produce energy and have access to large quantities of water.
Yes, when you click to open a WhatsApp message or send one; when you do a search on Google, Brave or others; when you watch a video on YouTube or a film on Netflix, you consume energy to run the machinery that will respond to you but also water because it is water that cools it down. The technology consumes a lot of energy and water. Some even say that it is Silicon Valley's excessive water consumption that explains the recent huge fires in California.
If Morocco is seeking to join the PMIA, it's because it feels the importance of not just being a simple consumer of AI. It wants to play its part and, above all, position itself so as not to be left behind. The country already has respectable-sized computer centres, enabling it to aspire to efficiency in scientific research and in meeting the needs of its citizens. But this is not enough. Today, AI is everywhere in our daily lives, and it will be even more so in the future. Morocco aims to continue its digital transformation and is looking for a small share in technological innovation. This means that we will need to produce more energy, and to do so we may have to take account of the limits of renewable energies and their cost, and give serious thought to nuclear power. This is what is planned in the American project.
We mustn't be mere consumers of AI, otherwise we'll be importing other people's biases and then we'll simply be lost.
To achieve this, we need to be careful not to over-legislate and over-regulate in a rapidly evolving field where no one can say how or what tomorrow will bring. One article, one comma in a law and the machine is irremediably blocked. We are in a field where milliseconds are important, and the freedom to think without limits, to venture beyond barriers and to undertake without conditions is vital.
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Moroccan Anti-Doping Agency: We can't wait for a second caravan...
6530
It is not my intention to define doping, or to talk about doping techniques, or to list the consequences, or even to dwell on the techniques or procedures for combating this phenomenon, which no longer taints elite sport in particular but has become a social phenomenon, given the fact that many young people resort to certain products in order, they believe, to accelerate the effects of training on their musculature and physical appearance.
Others do it much better than I do.
Doping is not a new phenomenon. Some say that it has accompanied mankind for as long as sporting competition has existed. The first proven case in modern times dates back to 1865 and since then doping has never ceased to exist.
Doping in sport has been tolerated for decades, no doubt because of a lack of knowledge of its consequences for health, a lack of awareness of its immorality, and the fact that it has long been the basis of sports policies for certain powerful states with the means to do so, but above all with a mastery of certain techniques, the underpinnings of technology and other advanced scientific aspects.
Nowadays, things are clearer, and the international community is all on the same side. It condemns doping. It has criminalised it and set itself the goal of eradicating it.
All the countries of the world and all the international and national sporting bodies are united in their determination not to accept the phenomenon of doping and to fight against it.
There is now an international body to which everyone has subscribed and to which they refer. It sets the course and dictates to everyone the path to follow. Many countries, including Morocco, have gone even further and criminalised doping by making the use of and trade in so-called doping products part of their criminal law, with heavy penalties.
Every country in the world has set up independent bodies whose sole mission is to combat doping. Better still, governments and national Olympic committees are obliged to fund, support and guarantee the total independence of national anti-doping agencies.
Testing techniques have evolved to such an extent that no-one can escape punishment. The international sporting community has gone so far as to preserve samples taken from athletes for a very long time, only to return to analyse them years later, using techniques that are becoming more sophisticated and more precise every day. Today, athletes are convicted of doping and penalised on the basis of samples taken eight years earlier. Others are sanctioned on the basis of abnormal variations found in their biological passports.
In other words, the fight is total.
The only thing that is easy to do is to tackle doping among well-known and recognised sportsmen and women. They are identified and within reach of the agencies. What remains is the possibility and effectiveness of the system among the young and not-so-young, who are neither registered with a club affiliated to a federation nor have the ambition to take part in any kind of competition. Many use doping products or simply food supplements that may be contaminated with doping molecules.
The Moroccan agency AMAD had the brilliant idea of organising an awareness-raising caravan aimed at the general public and young people. It visited all twelve regions of the country. For more than a year, its teams and staff, accompanied by experts and sports personalities, were constantly informing, reminding and raising awareness, not just of the legal aspects, but also of the harmful effects and consequences of the use of certain products, supplements or food supplements, on the health of the individual and therefore on a public health level. The aim was to make young people aware of the catastrophic consequences of doping on their physical and mental health, on their life in society, and on their reputation and that of their country in the case of sportsmen and women. I'm sure that everyone understands this.
But the understanding and support of each individual in his or her own little corner is not enough. Our sportsmen and women and all our sports leaders, PE teachers and sports coaches must all contribute to the Kingdom's tireless fight against doping. They must act as relays to counter what is said and done here in their clubs, schools and neighborhoods.
While it is not proven that any product can make you a great champion, it is certain that doping automatically damages an individual's health and leads to criminality. It can even make you a disgrace to your family and tarnish your country's reputation.
The Moroccan National Olympic Committee is sparing no effort to contribute to this innovative drive, which is now taking shape and developing. Our mission as citizens is to be present, alongside the Royal Moroccan Sports Federations, the Ministry of Sport and, of course, the national anti-doping agency, AMAD.
Morocco is now a model in this fight. It has a strong legal arsenal and an effective, competent anti-doping body, and we welcome this. Morocco's experience is watched with interest, and its cooperation is sought by many African countries, among others. As a result of this confidence, WADA President Dr Fatima Abouali recently won the confidence of her African peers, who elected her President of the African Union of Sports Medicine (UAMS).
Doping is the enemy of us all, and those who practise it, trade in it or encourage our young people to resort to it are deliberately placing themselves on the fringes of society.
Above all, sport is about honesty.
Doping means condemning yourself to dishonesty. We will never allow one of our own to be dishonest. We can't wait for a second caravan…
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Moroccan Anti-Doping Agency: We can't wait for a second caravan...
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Bluwr New Moon Report
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I'm very pleased to share here the statistics achieved by my posts on Bluwr during the month of January.
Proud to be part of the Bluwr family, thanks to our readers for their trust.
I'd like to take this opportunity to invite readers who don't yet publish to take the plunge. They certainly have a lot of interesting things to share.
Your Bluwr New Moon Report
Dear Aziz Daouda,
We thank you very much for writing on Bluwr. Bluwr was born on a new moon and hence we decided to do things differenlty by sending monthly reports on new moons.
Please find attached this monthly report on the activity of your articles on Bluwr. If you would like more detailed information, you can head to your analytics page on Bluwr.
With our sincere thanks,
The Bluwr team.
Number of views this month
43495
This month top article by views
2024, kenyans on top of the world in number of world records
2909
Number of articles written this month
12
Number of bluws this month
6
Writer points for this month
Curator points for this month
Number of all time views
95372
All time top article
Achraf Hakimi is not the 2024 African footballer... CAF disowned?
4316
Number of all time written articles
104
Number of all time bluws
6
All time writer points
5000
All time curator points
33.333333333333336
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European Parliament: two idiotic votes..
5954
The recent vote in favor of a European resolution calling for the release of the writer Boualem Sansal has finally revealed what a certain Left in France is all about. What it thinks, its doctrinaire tendencies, its ideological heritage, its philology and, above all, its idea of freedom of expression and humanism.
Two French MEPs, representing the country of the Enlightenment and the Declaration of the human Rights, found nothing more intelligent to distinguish themselves in the eyes of Europeans than to go against the grain of what any sensible person might think: one abstained and the other voted against the resolution outright.
This is the position of the political movement they represent and not a personal one.
One is known for having little to show for it other than the fact that her inheritance makes her a political pensioner, while the other shines through her bizarre positions, waltzing to and fro between extreme left-wing and extreme right-wing ideas. It's enough to make you dizzy. All that matters is that she is getting coverage in the media every day. She hasn't been taught that value and enhancement come with scarcity, not profusion.
For example, she is the only one who knows where the Mecca of freedoms and revolutionaries is on the world map.
So for these two turbulent political figures, the 553 MEPs who voted for the resolution were probably wrong.
By their votes, the two excitements have defended the arbitrary imprisonment of a 75-year-old man; an intellectual who in a television program simply recalled historical and geographical facts, without calling for anything, or pleading for anything.
The true face of a certain French Left is thus revealed; still nostalgic for the totalitarian regimes of the Eastern bloc... Fundamentally nostalgic for the only truth that is that of the single party. But they don't tell the French that; they practice it.
But aren't they themselves, as young as they are, the victims of leftist indoctrination from another time, which has numbed their minds and inhibited the neurons of discernment and lucidity? They have always lived in an environment where common sense is the daily target of outdated propaganda, the legacy of another time; a time that has run out of steam before our very eyes but to which they have simply remained faithful. Foolish ideology always ends up killing... So human beings don't count for them, and the law even less... Let's not forget that they and their acolytes are nothing more than a contemporary digression from Ceausescu, Tito or Brezhnev and their parties, not to mention Stalin and co...
Their names are not mentioned in this text as a prelude to the fact that history is unlikely to remember them.
They are the epitome of imbecility and nothing else. Their votes did not count.
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European Parliament: two idiotic votes..
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President Trump's first decions Part 1
5625
On the very evening of his inauguration on 20 January 2025, President Donald Trump signed no fewer than 77 executive orders, as promised. Many of the decisions simply repealed those of his predecessor and the policies of the opposing camp. In this way, he is laying the foundations for his future policies as he had announced them. Here is a list of the ‘President acts’ he signed in a truly revanchist staging.
Part 1:
1. Repeal of 78 decrees issued by the Biden administration: cancellation of measures to reduce the price of certain medicines, anti-discrimination programmes and sanctions against certain settlers in the West Bank.
2. Declaration of a national emergency on the Mexican border: Authorisation for the deployment of US troops to reinforce border security.
3. Withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement: marks a break with international environmental commitments.
4. Withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organisation (WHO): a halt to collaboration with the WHO.
5. Presidential pardon for more than 1,500 people involved in the riot of 6 January 2021: Pardons granted to supporters involved in the assault on the Capitol.
6. Suspension of telework for federal employees: Encouragement to return to face-to-face work.
7. Declaring a national energy emergency: Increasing oil and gas production, withdrawing subsidies for electric vehicles and abandoning the Paris Agreement.
8. Official recognition of two biological genders: Limiting diversity and inclusion policies, recognising only male and female genders.
9. Designation of drug cartels as terrorist organisations: Tougher measures against the cartels and increased sanctions.
10. Extension of deadline for TikTok: Temporary suspension of the ban on TikTok, allowing a further 75 days to comply with US regulations.
11. End of diversity, equity and inclusion programmes in government agencies: Elimination of initiatives aimed at promoting diversity within federal institutions.
12. Creation of the Foreign Revenue Service: Establishment of a new agency responsible for collecting tariffs and customs duties.
13. Renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America: Symbolic change of name to assert American sovereignty.
14. The name Mount McKinley was reinstated for Denali: the traditional name for the mountain in Alaska was restored.
15. Federal hiring freeze: Suspension of new federal government hiring, with the exception of national security positions.
16. Revocation of the electric vehicle mandate: Cancellation of the obligation to transition to electric vehicles.
17. Ending citizenship by birthright: Eliminating the automatic acquisition of citizenship for children born on U.S. soil to foreign parents.
18. Reinstatement of military personnel discharged for vaccine non-compliance: Reinstatement of members of the armed forces discharged for refusing vaccination, with retroactive payment.
19. Prohibiting government censorship: Implementing measures to protect free speech and prevent the suppression of political speech.
20. Creation of the Department of Government Efficiency: Appointment of Elon Musk to head a new department tasked with reducing waste and improving the efficiency of federal agencies.
21. Withdrawal of sanctions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank: Cancellation of punitive measures against Israeli settlements.
22. Reinstatement of Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism: Reinstatement of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, leading to economic sanctions.
23. Relocation of the headquarters of the United States Space Command to Alabama: Relocation of the Space Command headquarters to Huntsville, Alabama.
24. Implementation of Schedule F: Reduced job protections for thousands of federal employees, making it easier to lay them off.
25. Reassessment of foreign aid: Reduction or elimination of funding to countries deemed hostile to US interests or not supporting US initiatives in international organisations, with priority given to strategic allies.
26. Prohibition of critical race education programmes: Withdrawal of funding for schools promoting critical race theory.
27. Expansion of oil and gas drilling: Authorisation of new permits for extraction in protected areas.
28. Cancellation of subsidies for renewable energies: Abolition of tax incentives for wind and solar power.
29. Creation of a commission on electoral fraud: Launch of a national enquiry into electoral irregularities in 2020.
30. Suspension of visas for citizens of several Middle Eastern countries: Reintroduction of a modified ‘Muslim Ban’.
31. Reinstatement of the ‘stay in Mexico’ policy: asylum seekers must wait in Mexico while their case is processed.
32. Ending federal funding for sanctuary cities: Eliminating subsidies for jurisdictions that protect illegal immigrants.
33. Increased import taxes on Chinese products: Tariffs will be strengthened to protect US industries.
34. Protecting historic monuments: Prohibiting the destruction or removal of federal statues.
35. Encouraging Made in the USA: Strengthening local sourcing requirements for government agencies.
36. Reducing union rights for federal employees: Limiting collective bargaining in the civil service.
37. Removing limits on political donations: Easing restrictions on campaign financing.
38. Proclaiming Energy Freedom Day: A national celebration of America's oil and gas industries.
39. Creating a fund for victims of crime: Increasing resources for victims of crime, particularly those perpetrated by illegal immigrants.
40. Eliminate federal transgender bathroom standards: Reinstate laws defining bathrooms by biological sex.
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President Trump's first decions Part 1
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President Trump's first decisions. Part 2
5566
On the very evening of his inauguration on 20 January 2025, President Donald Trump signed no fewer than 77 executive orders, as promised. Many of the decisions simply repealed those of his predecessor and the policies of the opposing camp. In this way, he is laying the foundations for his future policies as he had announced them. Here is the list of ‘President acts’ that he signed in a truly revanchist staging.
Part 2:
41. Strengthening controls at the northern border: Expansion of security measures with Canada.
42. Evaluating social media practices: Launching a commission to examine censorship of conservative views.
43. Obamacare repeal: Another attempt to completely dismantle the Affordable Care Act.
44. Revoking public housing rules: Removing requirements for residential areas to accept subsidized housing.
45. Banning public-private partnerships with China: Blocking Chinese investment in US critical infrastructure.
46. Restoring federal executions: Reactivating executions for convicted federal criminals.
47. Cancellation of restrictions on firearms: Revocation of federal laws limiting the possession of semi-automatic weapons.
48. End subsidies to companies supporting progressive causes: Reducing tax credits for climate and inclusion initiatives.
49. Promoting the celebration of Christmas in schools: Requiring public schools to recognize and promote Christian traditions.
50. Relaxing pollution rules for large industries: Reducing emissions standards to boost industrial competitiveness.
51. Recognition of Christian institutions in federal funding: Priority to faith-based schools for educational grants.
52. Increased budget for law enforcement: Increased funding for the police and federal security departments.
53. Reopening Guantanamo: Reactivating the detention center for suspected foreign terrorists.
54. Strengthening sanctions against Iran: Returning to the strictest economic sanctions against Tehran.
55. Priority funding for rural infrastructure: Directing public funds towards rural communities rather than large cities.
56. Creating a technological wall with drones and cameras: Deploying advanced technology to monitor the southern border.
57. Revision of refugee quotas: Significant reduction in the annual number of refugees accepted.
58. End of UN funding for climate projects: Suspension of US contributions to international climate initiatives.
59. Promoting charter schools: Increasing funding for independent schools.
60. Implementing a national civic literacy program: Creating a program to teach American values and history in public schools.
61. Restoring religious rights in businesses: Allowing businesses to refuse certain services on the basis of religious beliefs.
62. Reducing restrictions imposed on banks by the Dodd-Frank Act.
63. Increasing the military budget: Increasing funding for equipment modernization and military cyber security.
64. Abolish work visas for foreigners in certain industries: Reduce legal immigration in favor of domestic employment.
65. Reinstatement of economic sanctions against North Korea: Stricter measures to limit the financial resources of the North Korean regime.
66. Funding infrastructure for the army: Prioritization of funds to improve military bases and military housing.
67. Suspension of funding for family planning: Abolition of subsidies for abortion-related services.
68. Promoting public-private partnerships in infrastructure: Encouraging private investment to modernize roads, bridges and airports.
69. Creation of a national database on migrants: Centralizing information on migrants to facilitate monitoring and national security.
70. Declaring a ‘National Patriotic Day’: Establishing a public holiday to celebrate American values.
71. Restricting the activities of international NGOs: Reducing funding for organizations promoting progressive ideals abroad.
72. End of scientific cooperation with China: Suspension of academic and technological exchanges with Chinese institutions.
73. Expansion of vocational training programs: Increased funding for apprenticeships and technical schools.
74. Supervision of Big Tech practices: Reinforcement of regulations on data collection and algorithmic transparency.
75. Reinstate Confederate monuments as National Historic Landmarks: Restore and preserve controversial monuments.
76. Repealing restrictions on oil companies in the Arctic: Reopening drilling in polar areas.
77. Promoting academic freedom: Prohibiting universities from penalizing students who do not meet their academic standards
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President Trump's first decisions. Part 2
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Africa: Lack of understanding of the fundamentals of sports performance and the impact on public policy
6009
Physical activity is so complex that it requires optimum knowledge of virtually all the human sciences, all the biological sciences and certainly all the demographic, geographic, historical, ethnographic, economic, artistic and cultural aspects. It has embraced recent technologies and made many substantial innovations and advances its own. It is a cornerstone of human progress that no one can ignore, except at the cost of physical and mental health problems. Societies, too, cannot ignore it, except at the cost of deviance and malaise, which it alone has the possibility and the secret of remedying.
The aim of this modest contribution is to return to some of the fundamentals of sports performance, to systematize them and to offer a platform for reflection, particularly in relation to public policies in this area.
Physical activity has many expressions. The most important is of course sport, because it is present in every society and is an area where people's emotions are affected.
Sport fascinates through performance, sport sows the seeds of joie de vivre, sport makes people react and sport makes them cry.
An analysis of public policies in certain African countries that I have had the pleasure of visiting and where I have had the privilege of rubbing shoulders with senior sports officials, and of certain decisions and recommendations of national and continental sports bodies, reveals a number of gaps in understanding and leads to a need for certain methodological explanations. These can be systematized as follows:
A lack of understanding of the core business of sport, i.e. sports performance, what determines it and what encourages it; hence the need to provide decision-makers with optimum knowledge of the mechanisms underlying sports performance,
The need for a systemic approach to all the components to provide as comprehensive and realistic a vision as possible of what sport is and to recall the different components of this highly complex activity. The decision-maker or manager would then be in a position to understand, design and implement sports ideas and projects, taking into account the different phases in the construction of performance.
This approach would enable us to understand what is at stake in sport, as well as the factors that contribute to its development or, on the contrary, cause it to stagnate. The lack of satisfactory results would thus be explained. It is based on an understanding of
The essential element, physical exercise, which underpins performance
The determinants of sporting performance
Factors that promote performance
Sporting competition and its impact
The major foundations in the process of producing sporting performance
The limits of sporting performance
Sustainability of sporting performance
Africa's contribution to innovation in sports performance
The performance is individual, the result is collective
Each of us has, one day on a beach, tried to walk in the footsteps left by someone else. It's a very simple exercise, but no one ever succeeds, and for good reason:
A particular body type
A particular physical and mental potential
A particular rhythm of life
A different way of thinking
A distinctive character
A distinct culture
In other words, in any approach to developing sporting performance, only innovation, while taking into account each individual's particular characteristics, can lead to performance. In this case, simply walking on a beach. This reasoning can no doubt be extrapolated to all fields.
It is therefore imperative to define the element that underpins all sporting performance, i.e. physical exercise. We need to understand it and pinpoint its mechanism and components.
This composite complexity provides us with information about what precisely is involved in the performance of any movement, its physiological dimension, its psychological dimension, its kinetics and its mechanics.
As a result, we are faced here with the need to have recourse to scientific knowledge in all of these areas, and hence on what the basic professions in sport should be.
This approach should determine political choices in management training, for example. What profile of managerial staff is really needed, and how many?
What level of management do we really need to develop sport?
It has to be said that the content of training for sports managers in many African institutions and universities is weak. This has an impact on the level of competence of those trained, and hence on their performance in the field. In many African countries today, more sports managers are trained than specialist technical staff. A real political inconsistency.
Training in coaching must meet the real needs of sport in Africa for all levels of practice. Sport is an indivisible whole. Each level of practice requires specifically trained managers, with particular profiles and skills, but all must have a level of scientific knowledge such that they can measure the impact of their interventions. They must be able to understand the problems and provide solutions by applying their scientific background.
Let's say straight away that physical exercise never takes place in isolation. It takes place in an equally complex environment, the impact of which is immeasurable. This environment is controllable in some respects and impossible to control in others.
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Africa: Lack of understanding of the fundamentals of sports performance and the impact on public policy
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Striking the perfect balance? Mastering academic demands while thriving in the personal life.
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With the hustle of academia, it’s very easy to focus only on what’s next—a looming deadline, the next exam, or an upcoming conference. Before you know it, those academic demands can creep into every corner of your life, making it tough to separate “work time” from “me time.” That’s why setting boundaries is so important. Whether it’s not answering emails after a certain hour or taking a proper lunch break, clear limits protect your mental health and nurture your relationships.
Making Time for What Matters:
One of the best ways to balance your academic workload with a fulfilling personal life is by using solid time management skills. It goes beyond just buying a planner—you have to create a realistic schedule, set achievable goals, and regularly check your progress. When you block out specific times for studying or research, it frees your mind to fully enjoy your personal pursuits later. For example, I started writing down all my meetings, and deadlines on a simple calendar, then penciled in “personal time” for reading, relaxing, or a quick break. Having those scheduled moments made it easier to focus on my tasks when it was actually “work time.”
Learning to Say “No”:
Another challenge I faced was learning to set limits with people around me. In the past, I’d say “yes” to every study group or committee meeting—leaving little space for rest. But saying “no” is sometimes the healthiest choice you can make. If a project isn’t urgent or a meeting doesn’t truly need your input, it’s okay to pass. By politely declining, you protect your mental health and keep your workload manageable.
Small Breaks, Big Difference:
Taking short breaks was also a lifesaver for me. Even a five-minute walk or a quick chat with a friend can recharge your brain, especially when you’re buried in readings or writing papers. When I tried to power through for hours without pausing, I ended up feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Now, I schedule small breaks throughout my day.
Celebrating Small Wins:
Finally, I learned the power of celebrating small milestones. After finishing a tough chapter or hitting a key research goal, I give myself a little treat—like a coffee date with a friend or a short break. Recognizing these small wins reminds me that progress comes in steps, not leaps. It also keeps me motivated for the next challenge. By honoring each success, no matter how small, I stay positive and energized, even when juggling academic deadlines and personal responsibilities.
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Striking the perfect balance? Mastering academic demands while thriving in the personal life.
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Dialogue between Dame Tour Mohammed VI and Dame Tour Hassan...
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Chance has never done things so well.
Strolling along the banks of the Bouregreg in Rabat the Moroccan Capital, probably alone, at a time when no one was moving, my friend Aziz Boucetta overheard a discussion he had never expected or imagined; a discussion between the Mohammed VI Tower and the Tour Hassan Tower... nothing less.
At the first stammer of the discussion, I can imagine him stopping, taking out his old-fashioned journalist's notebook and forever recording the content of the words and ideas exchanged.
A rare moment.
Starting out as a shameful rivalry of the kind we used to know between Lmra Lbeldia (Traditional Moroccan Women) and Lmra Al3asria (moderne one), the discussion quickly moved up a gear, swaying with the wind between history and philosophy, until it reached peaks which, from time to time, seemed to be addressed to all of us, and sometimes more directly to our politicians or those who claim to be politicians.
The two towers, gently, in a language imbued with wisdom and sometimes nostalgia, speak to us all to wake us up, those of us who pass by every day without ever giving a thought to this dialogue of the times.
They are addressed to the world as if to say that if we are where we are today, it is certainly not our fault, but that we are working boldly to get back to where we were before, to regain our rightful place.
We're not blaming anyone or settling any scores with anyone; but we're on our way back, with a firm step.
We are certainly at the first step, but a firm and unflappable step. To do this, we need to fulfil certain conditions: seriousness and determination. Unfortunately, we also have to meet the conditions set by the unscrupulous squatters in politics and the economy.
The leeches and fools should also leave us in peace.
One day, if God lends me life, I will ask, friend Aziz to tell me in what language the two towers held this discussion and how they managed to talk and understand each other.
But does he even know?
Back then, the Tour Hassan Tower probably didn't speak anything like we do today... I wonder if the Mohammed VI Tower is more at ease in English or French?
...in Darija perhaps.
Here yu have the link of the original article as published by my friend Aziz Boucetta, months ago.
It is in French.
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Dialogue between Dame Tour Mohammed VI and Dame Tour Hassan...
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What I Learned in 2024 During My PhD (Beyond Academia)
6904
When people ask what I’ve learned during my PhD, they usually think it’s all about science—reading papers, running experiments, gathering data. But honestly? That’s barely 20% of what I’ve learned this past year. The real lessons have nothing to do with lab work.
It’s more about how you plan. I’ve learned to pause, think things through, and focus on long-term goals. Not everything needs a fast answer, and not every problem needs to be fixed right away. The best decisions come when I keep my emotions in check and focus on strategy.
Waiting is tough. Progress can be painfully slow. But I’ve learned that good things take time. Getting frustrated doesn’t help—staying calm does.
Spending hours working alone makes you figure out who you really are—what motivates you, what stresses you out, and how much you can handle before you reach your limit. Some tasks felt pointless—reading papers I wasn’t excited about or presenting when I wasn’t ready—but those things made me better. The things I dreaded the most taught me the most.
I’ve also realized that communication is about more than speaking—it’s about making people understand. Breaking down complex ideas is just as important as knowing them. How you explain things shapes how people see your work. And thinking critically isn’t just for science—it helps you understand the world better, question things, and spot what others might miss.
I stopped waiting to feel “ready.” Confidence doesn’t come from knowing everything—it comes from showing up, trusting what you’ve learned, and getting better each time. I’ve also started thinking of my future like a game of chess—every move counts. Emotional decisions don’t last, but careful ones do.
I’ve learned you can’t force your way through everything. Sometimes, you need to know when to speak, when to listen, and when to take a step back. Being diplomatic doesn’t mean you’re weak—it means you’re smart enough to handle things without making everything a fight.
These lessons weren’t in any textbook. They came from real moments—the tough ones, the quiet ones, and the ones that felt overwhelming. It’s more than learning skills—it’s understanding yourself and becoming stronger with every step forward.
Still, you don’t have to figure everything out alone. When you seek advice from someone who knows you and genuinely wants you to grow, you can skip some of the slow, painful steps. They help you see blind spots and make your process faster and smoother.
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What I Learned in 2024 During My PhD (Beyond Academia)
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The Future - Review and Concepts from the book: AI For Social Good (1)
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We begin from the end.
I read the book AI For Social Good by Rahul Dodhia and I gained some interesting ideas from it which I want to elucidate with my own take.
So, we begin from the end - the final chapter - not only because it is the freshest parts of the book within my mind as I read them the last, but also because most of its paragraphs had my highlights for the entire book.
One of such paragraphs that is worth mentioning is Rahul’s take on how the future of AI should be embraced when it becomes more powerful than we currently know it, and more powerful than humanity could understand.
“The advancement of AI forces us to re-evaluate what we value in being human. It pushes us to move beyond intelligence as the primary measure of worth”. Rahul makes the argument that as humans, we have always taken pride in our intelligence, and now we find ourselves at a point where we are creating minds that can become more intelligent than us. Rather than resisting the change, hoping for new careers from the change, or just adapting like we always do, there is a chance now for us to “re-evaluate what we value in being human.”
This idea of using AI's advancement as an opportunity to re-evaluate our humanness gained more importance for me because in another section of the same final chapter on “The Future”, it said: “The information revolution inadvertently emphasized negative behaviors, as people found themselves ensnared by screens and engaging in rampant consumerism rather than being exclusively utilized for leisure. Free time was often channeled toward extending work hours”.
This suggests that before the information age, somewhere before the 1980s, there were leisure hours which people spent wisely by visiting friends, doing hobbies, and generally performing more fulfilling activities than they are doing now. Going on social media in recent times also shows more people judging the 80s and 60s as some of the best times of their existence. People were generally happier in that era than they are now.
If the information age made us lose general happiness, stable mental health, healthy work-life balance, a stronger world economy and a greater sense of contentment as a people, all for chasing more information, then AIs advancement offers us the opportunity to fix these things.
If AI becomes more advanced, more leisure will be created because most jobs will be automated. Contrary to the information age, there will not be any value in seeking out more information and knowledge to stay ahead anymore. Rather, real and abundant leisure will be created.
Looking on the brighter side of job losses, whatever those activities were in the 60s that made life more exciting, people would become unbridled from the constant thirst for information and do those things - and maybe life will have more meaning again.
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The Future - Review and Concepts from the book: AI For Social Good (1)
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2024, kenyans on top of the world in number of world records
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2024 was undoubtedly the year of the Olympic Games, with thrilling moments, unforgettable competitions, great performances and a great atmosphere. Paris couldn't have dreamed of anything better, especially given the remarkably exceptional support from spectators. The numbers were there, and so was the enthusiasm specially when speaking about athletics.
The score of 198,350 points in the World Athletics competition of the year rankings is the best ever result for championship-type competitions.
The American Trials were relegated to second place and the European Athletics Championships to third.
But 2024 was also the year of world records par excellence. We thought 2023 would be an exceptional year, but not at all. 2024 was even better, with athletes from Kenya taking the lion's share, which is a credit to the booming African continent.
The gold medal went to Sweden's Mondo Duplantis and his three pole vault records, as well as to the galactic American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, twice a repeat winner in the 400m hurdles this year. The two mega-stars also stood out for their record-breaking performances during Olympic Games competitions.
In the women's marathon, Ruth Chepngetich smashed the world record in a mixed race, and Perez Jepchirchir in an women's race. In the 1500m, Faith Kipyegon was magical and in the 10,000m, the thundering Beatrice Chebet was just exceptional.
One of the most unexpected world records of the year was set in the women's high jump by Yoroslava Mahuchikh (1.80m) from Ukraine, followed in the men's discus by Mykolas Alekna from Lithuania.
More confidential but no less important were the world records set in the men's 35km walk by Japan's Masatora Kawano and in the mixed 4x400m relay by the USA team.
Three world records were also set in the women's 2000m by Australian Jessica Hull, and in the men's 3000m by the overjoyed Norwegian Jacob Ingebrigtsen, who failed to break the 1500m record still held by the legendary Hicham El Guerrouj.
Other records were broken in the road events, in the 5km and 10km by Agnes Ngetich, another Kenyan in a mixed race. In the road mile, the men's record was twice bettered by another Kenyan, Emanuel Wanyonyi, and by Elliot Giles from the UK. The half-marathon record was beaten by Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha.
Other world records were also set in the indoor events, with the women's 60m hurdles twice set by Bahamian Devynne Charlton, a record to be equaled by American Tia Jones.
The Dutchwoman Femke Bol also twice improved the world indoor record in the 400m, before going on to carry her country to the Olympic Games. In the men's 60m hurdles, American Grant Holloway is set to shatter the record in 2024.
There were also three world records, in less conventional distances such as the 600m by Kenya's Mary Moraa, and the 300m with the world revelation, Botswana's LetsileTebogo, also voted best athlete of the year. The double-mile indoor record was also improved by Joshua Kerr, who is currently restoring Britain's reputation in the middle distance.
In addition, there were 14 world records in the U20 category and six in the U18 category.
These achievements perfectly illustrate the universal nature of athletics. Virtually every continent is represented on the list of new world records, with African dominance thanks in particular to athletes from Kenya.
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2024, kenyans on top of the world in number of world records
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About Humor, Memes, Memofacturing, and Humor Iq…
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I can’t unsee how big of a memes fan I am, I would recognize some classic memes from the first sight. I feel sorry for my friends as I flood them with many memes about almost everything. I keep quoting some famous memes. All these typical Gen Z activities made me realize something: everyone understands memes, they are universal. On top of that, they pass down messages efficiently as our average attention span is decreasing generation after generation due to the unlimited distraction sources.
I can’t be the only one noticing these two essential points as marketing experts already did and are focused on leveraging the full potential of this new universal means of communication. The recent assassination attempt on Trump produced one of the most iconic pictures on the web. These pictures not only stayed in our pockets but made it to T-shirts as memes in almost no time. The memes industry paid the price of its success, the unlimited desire to monetize everything, saw us being surrounded by commercial memes based on a product, not an idea… Memes are ideas, not products.
I made memes myself to express ideas on certain topics. I remember when our university decided to rebrand and change its logo. I found the design too simple for the announced duration of work compared to the old logo, it was super creative.
A lot of people reacted to it and immediately grasped its meaning without me having to explain the meaning. We all agree that memes unveil a huge hidden potential. We can universally express ourselves: isn’t the dream of everyone? Isn’t that the most requested thing? Isn’t that the origin of generational conflicts?
When thinking about writing this article, I did not intend to talk about memes only, but to detail mainly one notion: Humor iq. We usually see people posting memes and explaining the reference behind them, some people don’t get the idea initially but end up understanding it after the explanation, but some don’t get it at all. It’s not the case only with memes but with all humor content, making us think: Does understanding humor count as an intelligence type? We were all proud at a certain moment for making a funny joke or getting a meme, we can be prouder when googling the word “ Humor Iq” as the main idea appearing is the high correlation between the ability to produce humor and high intelligence.
Humor, nowadays is audio-visual content, interfering often with more than two senses (recalling a previous taste or smell experience). Let us examine the 7 types of intelligence:
- Linguistic intelligence
- Logical-Mathematical intelligence
- Spatial intelligence
- Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence
- Musical intelligence
- Interpersonal intelligence
- Intrapersonal intelligence
Humor content has words, the choice of words matters. Brilliant humorists know how to choose the exact words that will make sense and, eventually the essence of the joke. Good speakers rule the world…
Some memes are complicated and require a certain analysis to decipher their logic, as there are also other memes about complex topics, it goes both ways: the content and the structure. Complexity induces a certain logic requiring logical intelligence to decipher the structure and the content.
Some humor content requires imagination as the humorist takes us into an adventure guided by his or her descriptions usually to set up a scene required for the joke being made. Spatial intelligence is essential for a better understanding. We can go all day finding relationships between Humor intelligence and the 7 types of intelligence.
I am not trying to prove that humor understanding requires different types of intelligence nor prove that all types of intelligence form humor intelligence. I am speculating on the status of humor intelligence: is it a type of intelligence? Does Humor intelligence induce the other types?
If what we said about humor, being a human creation, is true, then it is for all human creations like music, poems… For each type, we can define intelligence and link to the other types. Are there seven types of intelligence, is this framework valid to describe all types of intelligence? What is the case for the spiritual and natural aspects? Can we define a valid framework to reflect on intelligence? This reflection gave me headaches as I, like philosophers, seek generality in the description, a theory of everything, but like consultants, I end up realizing that within the general there is a pinch of specific. Frameworks are an effort toward englobing certain notions but personal interpretation is always necessary.
Life tends to be mechanical and requires some spice, and humor is one of a good spice. Far from the intelligence and framework speeches, Humor is human before all, some things are worth being enjoyed rather than complicating them.
“ Genius takes time and extraordinary effort “
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About Humor, Memes, Memofacturing, and Humor Iq…
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Achraf Hakimi is not the 2024 African footballer... CAF disowned?
7071
We are the day after the African Football Awards ceremony. A ceremony celebrated with brio and above all experienced with a fast sublimated to the maximum in Marrakech... A ceremony that only Morocco, in its millenary way, is capable of delivering at a level bordering on perfection.
It was a beautiful evening, in which the brilliance of Jalal Bouzrara at the height of his powers, and his slightly outdated but well-endowed team-mate, gave a good rhythm that was only occasionally disturbed by the turbulence of a President with his jacket unbuttoned, his stomach hanging out and his attire far from respectful of the occasion.
Infantino himself was ill at ease, suffering at will from the galloping hands of a president who plays at being more African than Africans. His gaze and sometimes his grimaces betrayed his phlegm, letting the CAF President know that this was not the way to act at a ceremony that was being watched throughout the world, at least the African world.
The room was packed and many of the guests were mechanically applauding the trophies awarded here and there to the best this or the best that. The impression on the other side of the screen was that of one of those television programs where a chauffeur de salle, an ‘ambianceur’, orders the well-sorted audience to applaud and to stop according to the timing chosen by the director. This is not to say that the winning individuals or teams were not entitled to receive the trophies that were awarded to them, but the way in which they were announced by stars or lesser stars was not always successful.
Each time, there was an attempt to create suspense and surprise when there was no need for it. The evidence was there. Which team could we have chosen if not Côte d'Ivoire, who have delivered one of the most exciting African Cup ever? What other female coach could have won the award if not the courageous Lamia Boumehdi. There is nothing worse in such a context, for the sake of spectacle, than to overplay the surprise in the face of the obvious.
Under such circumstances, at some point, boredom sets in and the audience becomes bored. The President of the CAF sensed this and once on stage, once again, he make thinly disguised excuses: I know we are late... He pretended to want to move quickly but ended up delaying things even more, much to the dismay of our friend Jalal Bouzrara who saw his driver being badly led.
In fact, and this is perfectly understandable, everyone in the room, as well as all of us behind our screens, were waiting for just one moment: the announcement of the best African player of the year. It is the one and only trophy that is remembered years later and that marks such ceremonies and adds value to them. If it were to be announced at the start of the festivities, it is almost certain that the halls would empty very quickly afterwards.
Marrakech was no exception. The suspense was maintained by musical choices that were no doubt debatable, if not by those who recommended them. To each his own.
In an instant, the hall was transformed into a mosque and a silent cathedral. To each his own, but football brings everyone together around six liters of air. The moment they had been waiting for had arrived this time.
Again, on behalf of the two football bosses present, the one from the world and the one from Africa, the name of the African Golden Ball for 2024 was announced, not without some formality.
For a moment, there was a heavy silence before a few voices chanted Hakimi's name, and the number of voices grew. It was a cold shower for the Moroccan clan, but not the only one. CAF found itself disowned. The choice was not the right one. Not that the player chosen is undeserving, but Hakimi is undoubtedly more deserving for more than one reason, all of them objective.
Questions then de facto arose. How is it that the Golden Ball did not go to a Moroccan following the Qatar World Cup in 2022. How is it that the 2023 trophy did not go to Bounou and, of course, how is it that the golden ball did not go to one of the Moroccan players who won bronze at the Olympic Games, in this case Hakimi, the imposing and effective leader of this team?
This is where hypotheses and questions can be put forward. Do the voters have something against the Moroccan players? Do they not see them as sufficiently African, even though they are just as African as the others? Perhaps, and above all, some people, no doubt a minority but influencing the vote, are confusing the issue with what is happening here and there, to which some sub-Saharan Africans are victims. Doesn't the laborious, hollow and unfounded concept of the Maghreb encourage people to lump together all the inhabitants of North Africa, knowing that the leaders of certain North African countries have gone astray with unacceptable remarks about sub-Saharans and that others have acted in a rather inhumane manner towards poor people, forced against their will to migrate from south of the Sahara to the north in search of a better life. Words spoken elsewhere, abuses committed elsewhere, thousands of kilometers from the Kingdom of Morocco.
These are only hypotheses that some will find inappropriate or unfounded, but they can be discussed and disproved if they are not verified.
It is at this point that we should perhaps be quick to point out that Morocco is the North African country with the highest number of migrants, more than 148,000 in 2024, with an annual increase of 5.6%, a spectacular leap of 71.86% in just ten years. The Kingdom is a destination and transit country. It has put in place a genuine policy to support and integrate these migrant populations. The country is fully committed to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. It is for this reason that large numbers of migrants, particularly from sub-Saharan Africa, are regularly regularized and enjoy the same rights as Moroccan citizens.
That's all there is to it, just in case...
In any case, this morning the Moroccans are rightly not happy and understand even better the anger of Venicius and Real Madrid.
Hakimi richly deserved to win the 2024 African Golden Ball.
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Achraf Hakimi is not the 2024 African footballer... CAF disowned?
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