chargement...
Mohamed Marrakchi was born in the city of Oujda in 1968, where he lived for twenty years before moving to Nancy in the Lorraine region of France to pursue higher education.
During his middle school years, he developed a passion for basketball, and at the age of 14, he joined the National Electricity Office Basketball Club, which he considered "a true educational institution with a significant place in my life". Shortly thereafter, he joined the Mouloudia Oujda team, which allowed him to gain experience at a higher athletic level.
Education first
In an interview with Yabiladi, Mohamed Marrakchi stated that "at the age of 16, I received my first invitation to participate in national team training camps. But for me, education was the priority, while sports were a means that could help me achieve my academic goals".
The Oujda-native explained that "during my sports career, the focus was not only on athletic performance but also on values and education. The Mouloudia Oujda team was like a second family to me, where I found older brothers who provided guidance and support".
"The only opportunities I had to represent Morocco were with the Mouloudia Oujda team, in international tournaments organized in Algeria when the borders were still open. It was easier for us to travel to Algeria to play matches and participate in major tournaments there, compared to traveling to cities like Fez or Rabat, where the distance was much longer".
One of his most notable sports milestones was winning the Moroccan University Championship in 1989 with the University of Oujda team. The Morocco-born athlete recalled that "although the city did not achieve a national title in basketball, winning the university title had a special significance for me".
.jpg)
Regarding the challenges he faced while playing for Mouloudia Oujda, he explained that "the biggest challenge was injuries. Unfortunately, I suffered two serious knee injuries, which is the worst that can happen to a basketball player. When I was 16, I had the potential to reach a higher level in my sports career, but the injuries prevented that. However, I believe that everything that happened was for the best, as it pushed me to focus on my studies and future career".
The former athlete regretted not being able to play for the Moroccan national team, explaining that "when it comes to representing the country, it is completely different from playing in the neighborhood or city. It is about raising the national flag, especially when the national anthem is played before or after the match".
At the age of 20, he moved to France to pursue his studies at the Faculty of Sports in Nancy, specializing in sports governance and engineering. He emphasized that he chose this field because sports are "a great way to build a network. The advantage of sports is that it knows no color or religion; it is universal and multicultural".
His early days in France were not as he had hoped, as he faced "a significant cultural shock, and the cold weather was an additional challenge, with temperatures reaching -10 degrees Celsius upon my arrival in Lorraine, making the first year extremely challenging".
Although the Moroccan Royal Federation would call upon him to wear the national team jersey, his academic commitments prevented him from doing so, and he preferred to spend the summer holidays with his family in Morocco. He explained that he was aware of "the power and impact of sports, and I wanted to succeed in it, but always within the framework of education, as I knew that professionalism in sports alone does not guarantee a livelihood".
He recalled that his parents "insisted on the importance of education alongside sports and the necessity of pursuing higher education. After that, I had the opportunity to pass the entrance exam to a prestigious college specializing in sports, which allowed me to always remain in the sports field".
After completing his studies, Mohamed aimed to give back to the sport that had given him so much. Since 2004, he has participated in numerous international projects, especially in his hometown of Oujda.
.jpg)
Starting in 2009, he organized numerous training courses, tournaments, and exchange programs, believing that sports are a fantastic means of cultural exchange.
In 2010, he organized a tribute tournament in Oujda for sports figures, recognizing their significant role in serving sports. Since the COVID pandemic, he has expanded his activities to include the African continent, believing in "the importance of South-South cooperation, where Morocco plays a key role, and I aim to contribute to this path and discover the richness of Africa".
"In 2018, I had the opportunity to attend the All-Star Game in Los Angeles, which was a dream come true for me. Even though I was fifty at the time, I felt like a young child, amazed by everything around me."
He said, "I am currently working on a project aimed at mobilizing the Moroccan diaspora around the world to support Moroccan sports, especially in anticipation of the 2025 and 2030 events".
Interest in 3×3 basketball
In addition to traditional 5×5 basketball, Mohamed has been very interested in 3×3 basketball for years and is now one of the key players in developing this sport at both the local and international levels, highlighting its many benefits within and outside of France.
Since 2020, he has visited Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Tunisia to share his thirty-year experience by participating in conferences and mentorship. He explained that "3×3 basketball is for the fans and should complement traditional basketball". He also believes that "there are concerns that 3×3 basketball which might negatively impact traditional basketball, but the experience in Guinea has proven otherwise".
Marrakchi explained that 3×3 basketball is a means to develop traditional basketball, not compete with it, and that "the federations that understand this achieve great success." The former athlete explained that "in Africa, I work directly with local federations... The important thing is for them to understand that they should not start by organizing major events directly, but rather build from the ground up".
Marrakchi was recently appointed as the General Manager of 3×3 Basketball in Guinea. "This is not just technical work, but sports engineering". He continued: "having a strong national team is good, but how can we engage with the fans? How do we create projects that achieve partnerships? Working on the social aspect means involving municipalities, cooperation, and partnerships".
Mohamed Marrakchi considers French football player Michel Platini as his role model saying "I admired him since I was ten years old, and I always wore the number 10 jersey in all the teams I played with. The number 10 meant a lot to me," he continued, "I was happy to come to Lorraine because Platini hails from there, and I visited the city and the neighborhood where he grew up. Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to meet him yet, but I still hope to, God willing".
He explained that Platini is "an ideal model for career redirection after retiring from sports. He started as a player, then became a coach, then a director, and later a businessman. He is a great example of how to leverage a sports career to build a strong professional future".
