First Muslim Woman in Olympic Board
BEIJING — Moroccan Olympic gold medalist Nawal El Moutawakel has become the first Muslim woman elected to the powerful executive board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
"I feel very honored to be a member of this big family," El Moutawakel said following her election on Thursday, August 7, reported Reuters.
El Moutawakel won her seat unopposed after her two contenders withdrew from the race.
The Muslim Olympian got 85 votes in favor and 12 against from 97 valid votes.
"Thank you very much for the trust you are putting in me," she said.
"I assure you I will give my full commitment to work in this wonderful family and to protect the Olympic ideals."
The 15-member IOC board is responsible for setting the Olympic agenda.
It meets four times a year and can ban athletes from Games for doping offences.
El Moutawakel fills an unofficial vacancy for a female member on the board as IOC vice president Gunilla Lindberg of Sweden is leaving the board after her four-year term expired.
The IOC set a goal in 1996 of having women make up 20 percent of the membership.
As of today, only 16 of the 110 members are women, six short of the target.
Muslim Olympian
Born in April 1962, El Moutawakel made history at the 1984 Olympics, becoming the first Muslim woman to a gold medal in the 400 meters hurdles.
In honor of her win, Moroccan King Mohamed VI declared that all girls born in the day of her victory were to be named after her.
In 1995, El Moutawakel became a council member of the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF).
Three years later, the US-educated became a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
In 2006, El Moutawakel was one of the eight flag bearers at the 2006 Opening Ceremony.
In 2007, El Moutawakel was named Minister of Sports in the Moroccan cabinet.
El Moutawakel has also become a president of the evaluation commission for the selection of the host city for the 2012 Olympic Games.
