Sport for All: Promoting a culture of sports participation in correctional settings as a tool for education and reintegration

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The primary role of the Royal Moroccan Federation for Sport for All (FRMSPT) is to promote and firmly establish a genuine culture of sport, while creating a dynamic sporting movement across the entire national territory.

The objective of this young and dynamic federation (established on 25 October 2009) is to enshrine physical and sporting activity as a constitutional right for all, without discrimination based on age, social condition, or geographic location. Its mission is therefore centered on democratizing access to sport among the population across all age groups. Through the organization of sports caravans and Sports Days throughout all regions of the Kingdom of Morocco, the Federation reaches all segments of society.

On Wednesday, 8 March 2017, a partnership agreement was signed between the General Delegate for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR), Mr. Mohamed Salah Tamek, and the President of the Royal Moroccan Federation for Sport for All, Ms. Nezha Bidouane—two-time world champion in the 400m hurdles (Athens 1997 and Edmonton 2001) and Olympic bronze medalist (Sydney 2000). This agreement aims, among other objectives, to enable inmates in correctional facilities to engage in physical and sporting activities, as well as traditional games.

This initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to preserve inmates’ health and prepare them for reintegration into society after completing their sentences.

Under this agreement, the FRMSPT contributes to organizing sporting events and tournaments across various disciplines within correctional facilities, provides training for DGAPR staff in the field of sport, supplies sports equipment related to its activities, and organizes seminars and competitions within prisons.

The agreement was signed on 8 March 2017, coinciding with International Women’s Day. The partners moved immediately into action. On Thursday, 9 March, the Khouribga 2 local prison hosted an exceptional Sports Day dedicated to female inmates from the Beni Mellal–Khénifra region. This was no ordinary day for the 130 women who participated in the various activities designed to break isolation and rebuild social connections through sport.

Held under the theme “Sport for All Female Inmates,” the day featured a wide range of sporting, educational, and recreational activities conducted in a festive and engaging atmosphere, leaving a strong positive impact on participants.

Thanks to this agreement, the Royal Moroccan Federation for Sport for All has been able to organize sports caravans and Sports Days in numerous correctional facilities across the 12 regions of Morocco, particularly during national celebrations such as Throne Day, Independence Day, the Green March, and National Women’s Day.

The Federation also organizes regular sports activities for juvenile and elderly inmates at El Arjat local prison (Rabat suburb) every Thursday from January to June, as well as every Tuesday and Thursday at Toulal 2 prison in Meknès and at Tamesna local prison (Rabat suburb).

In the same context, for the past four years, the FRMSPT has organized a mini-football tournament during the holy month of Ramadan at El Arjat 2 prison. This year, the tournament saw the participation of 1,300 inmates in both qualifying and final stages. Medals and trophies were awarded to winning teams across various categories, including a team composed of Sub-Saharan African inmates.

As a humanitarian gesture toward the inmates, and in recognition of the institution’s social role in fostering connections between inmates and the outside world, a collective “Happy Iftar” was organized under the slogan: “Rehabilitating the inmate means rehabilitating society.”

The President of the FRMSPT, Ms. Nezha Bidouane, emphasized that such sporting, educational, and recreational activities help ease the burden of incarceration, bring joy to inmates, and pave the way for their reintegration. This represents a key aspect of the daily work of correctional institutions, in line with the High Royal Directives aimed at strengthening the social dimension of justice, humanizing the prison environment, and transforming it into a true space for rehabilitation, re-education, and reintegration.

She also commended the DGAPR’s approach in promoting sport as a structured program to safeguard health and prepare inmates for reintegration after serving their sentences. Sport also serves as a factor of balance and prevention of recidivism, while promoting values such as tolerance, coexistence, acceptance of diversity, moderation, and love and loyalty toward the الوطن (homeland).