Marrakesh will host the IAAF/MAROC TELECOM World Youth Championships in Athletics (-18 years old) where almost 2000 athletes will represent the colours of more than 160 countries from all over the world during 5 days of competition (from 13th to 17th July 2005).

The FRMA, which is the Local Organising Committee, has put every thing well under way to ensure that this World Youth competition achieves such heights and compares with the previous three editions in terms of performances to be realised at the stadium of Sidi Youssef Ben Ali which the crowd it will enjoy.

Known worldwide for its expertise in organising events of such a large scale, Marrakesh, the historical city, has the honour to provide all the necessary tools to ensure the success of this global sporting competition at all levels.

The success of the World Athletics Series largely depends on the presence of a large crowd. This factor will not be a problem in Marrakesh city, where the 26th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were celebrated in 1998, having attracted then during 2 days of competition around 300.000 spectators.

Actually, Marrakesh, listed as a World Heritage site, offers all guarantees for the success of these world championships.

The proximity of Marrakesh-Menara Airport, the quality and the amalgamation of several hotels, the know-how of Moroccan executives in organising such important world events will ensure the good organisation. Moreover, athletics is one form of popular sports that Moroccans in general and Marrakshi in particular cherish, these are enough exciting tools to encourage future young stars.

These championships will obviously be a golden opportunity for these youngsters, for the majority will travel for the first time abroad through sport of course and will form close relationships with their peers.

In fact, the World Youth Championships are a real motive of satisfaction and pride.The athletes who took part in Bydgoszcz, Debrecen and Sherbrooke have already been listed among the best world athletes, and some of them were medalists at Athens Olympic Games.

For Morocco which recorded its best participation in history in Sherbrooke (3000m gold medal of Siham HILALI), these World Youth Championships are quite an incentive to undertake a profound work in order to groom talented youngsters to be a future Said Aouita, Brahim BOUTYEB, Khalid Skah, Salah HISSOU or Hicham El Guerrouj, Nawal El Moutawakel, Zahra Ouaziz, Nezha Bidouane or Hasna Benhassi.