Role Models for Muslims in Sport

In the Muslim world, there aren’t many figures that are considered as role models for young Muslims. In sport, for example, the young Muslims tend to favour European football championship and so the stars in these teams eclipse the championships in other Muslim countries because of the level of performance. Zidane wouldn’t have become a role model if he wasn’t a player in Real Madrid, the focus of sport media. Being a role model has to do with favourable publicity in addition to performance.

But there were famous athletes from the Muslim world, especially North Africa. From Algeria there was Morseli, From Morocco there were athletes like Aouita, Nawal Al Moutawakkil and Hisham Al Garrouj .These became world famous, especially by winning Olympic gold medals.. Late King Hassan II of Morocco once said that people outside Morocco knew Aouita but not the king of Morocco. Hisham Al Garrouj before his retirement was the focus of analysts and spectators during the championships. He stole the light during his participations.

Such Arab athletes -representing the Muslim World in international competitions - will be remembered as world record breakers and gold medallists, especially in the Olympic Games