Morocco, Canada sign sports cooperation accord

Morocco and Canada on Tuesday concluded a cooperation accord in sports related fields.

The accord, initialed by Moroccan youth and sports minister, Ahmed Moussaoui, and visiting Canadian sports secretary of state, Denis Coderre, provides for the consolidation of cooperation in training of trainers, experts and documents exchanges.

Struggle against doping, sports scientific research, and encouragement of women's sports as well as technical assistance to promote handicapped persons sports are also provided for in the accord.

The two sides agreed to set up a joint working group.

The Canadian official conferred on Tuesday with General de Division Housni Benslimane, President of the Moroccan national Olympic committee and of the Moroccan Royal football federation.

Coderre renewed on Monday at a meeting with Moussaoui his country's backing to Morocco's bid to host the 2006 World Cup.

"Unfortunately Canada does not have the right to vote in the FIFA executive committee, but it will do its best to back Morocco's candidacy," Coderre later on told MAP news agency.

Morocco --a three-time bidder-- is campaigning against Brazil, England, Germany and South Africa to stage the planetary competition. FIFA executive committee will select the host country early next July.