35th Anniversary of the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA)
On October 18, 1998, the Algerian Olympic Committee celebrated its 35th anniversary. Indeed, it was in 1963 that fifteen federation presidents, namely MM. Maouche Mohand Amokrane (football), Larfaoui Mustapha (swimming), Benbelkacem Amar (handball), Chérifi Ali (basketball), Belguedj Abderrahmane (boxing), Bourkaïb Kaddour (volleyball), Agoulmine Mustapha (athletic sports), Medjebri Benaïssa (cycling), Abdelhamid Mohamed (gymnastics), Benmerabet Zerrouk (tennis), Benachour Abdelkader (judo), Ouadah (fencing), Bouayed (wrestling), Boudiaf (equestrian sports) and Messadi (weightlifting and bodybuilding), united under the presidency of Sadek Batel, Under-Secretary of State for Sports at the time, decided to give birth to the first Algerian Olympic body. The elections which marked this constituent assembly allowed the creation of the first executive office composed of twelve members including seven elected federation presidents and five personalities chosen for services rendered to Algerian sport. Dr Maouche was its president, MM. Larfaoui and Benbelkacem respectively general secretary and treasurer. The other members were MM. Chérifi, Bourkaïb, Belguedj and Agoulmine for the federations and MM. Makouf Boualem (JFLN), Kaïd Ahmed (UGTA), Allam Mohamed (MJS), Kara Terki Mahmoud (APN) and Allahoum Abdelmadjid (MDN) as personalities.
After its constitution, the Algerian Olympic Committee had to integrate the international Olympic family through recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This was done at the session in Innsbruck (Austria) during the 1964 Winter Olympic Games. On this occasion, the membership file presented by the two Algerian representatives, MM. Maouche and Larfaoui in this case, received the necessary approval which allows Algeria to now be a member of the international Olympic family. In October 1964, the Algerian flag flew for the first time during an Olympics. It will be in Tokyo (Japan) where Algeria is present with a small delegation composed of MM. Maouche and Larfaoui as well as the gymnast Mohamed Lazhari who will be the first athlete entered in the Olympic Games.
From then on, Algeria will take part in all meetings, with the exception of that of Montreal 1976 which was boycotted by all African countries due to the problem of apartheid. Likewise, our country has participated, both regionally and continentally, in all Olympic events such as the Mediterranean, Arab and African games. Better yet, Algeria hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1975 and the African Games in 1978 and it was during these games that Algeria entered the concert of sporting nations by winning its first international medals. Since then, Algerian sport and Olympism have experienced constant progression. At the Los Angeles Olympic Games, two boxers, Mustapha Moussa and Mohamed Zaoui, won the first bronze medals for Algeria. This first success is reinforced by the first gold medal won hard by Hassiba Boulmerka at the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992, while Hocine Soltani won bronze in boxing. Finally, in Atlanta (USA, 1996), Algeria won two gold medals thanks to Noureddine Morceli (1,500 m) and Hocine Soltani (boxing) and a bronze medal thanks to Mohamed Bahari (boxing), medals which added to the Algerian Olympic record.
At the dawn of the 3rd millennium, the Algerian Olympic Committee is one of the few, if not the only one, to have two of its members, MM. Mohamed Zerguini and Mustapha Larfaoui, within the IOC and this can be considered a privilege because only countries which have already organized Olympic Games are entitled to seats in the representative institution of the international Olympic movement.
After its constitution, the Algerian Olympic Committee had to integrate the international Olympic family through recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This was done at the session in Innsbruck (Austria) during the 1964 Winter Olympic Games. On this occasion, the membership file presented by the two Algerian representatives, MM. Maouche and Larfaoui in this case, received the necessary approval which allows Algeria to now be a member of the international Olympic family. In October 1964, the Algerian flag flew for the first time during an Olympics. It will be in Tokyo (Japan) where Algeria is present with a small delegation composed of MM. Maouche and Larfaoui as well as the gymnast Mohamed Lazhari who will be the first athlete entered in the Olympic Games.
From then on, Algeria will take part in all meetings, with the exception of that of Montreal 1976 which was boycotted by all African countries due to the problem of apartheid. Likewise, our country has participated, both regionally and continentally, in all Olympic events such as the Mediterranean, Arab and African games. Better yet, Algeria hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1975 and the African Games in 1978 and it was during these games that Algeria entered the concert of sporting nations by winning its first international medals. Since then, Algerian sport and Olympism have experienced constant progression. At the Los Angeles Olympic Games, two boxers, Mustapha Moussa and Mohamed Zaoui, won the first bronze medals for Algeria. This first success is reinforced by the first gold medal won hard by Hassiba Boulmerka at the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992, while Hocine Soltani won bronze in boxing. Finally, in Atlanta (USA, 1996), Algeria won two gold medals thanks to Noureddine Morceli (1,500 m) and Hocine Soltani (boxing) and a bronze medal thanks to Mohamed Bahari (boxing), medals which added to the Algerian Olympic record.
At the dawn of the 3rd millennium, the Algerian Olympic Committee is one of the few, if not the only one, to have two of its members, MM. Mohamed Zerguini and Mustapha Larfaoui, within the IOC and this can be considered a privilege because only countries which have already organized Olympic Games are entitled to seats in the representative institution of the international Olympic movement.