Dokument #1334807
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
During a telephone interview with the
President of the International Paralympics Committee which took
place on 3 June 1999, the President affirmed that Morocco was a
participating country in the 1996 Games; he was not aware that any
participants had not returned to their country after the games and
stated that he "would absolutely be aware" had that been the
case.
According to the US Disabled Athletes Fund
Inc. of which the current President was President and CEO of the
Atlanta Paralympic Games in 1996, the Moroccan delegation to the
Atlanta Paralympic Games was comprised of the following
participants: Khalid Garda, Madani Mardi, El Mesned, Abdellah
Moutaoui, Mohamed Quaudbi and Said Touil (4 June 1999). The list
provided by the US Disabled Athletes Fund Inc. does not
differentiate between the athletes and staff (ibid).
Correspondence from the Media and
Communications Manager at the International Paralympic Committee in
Bonn, Germany, received on 4 June 1999, lists a delegation of six
Moroccans attending the games. The four athletes are Khalid Garda
and Said Touil in powerlifting and El Kbir Mesned and Madani Mardi
in athletics and two unnamed staff.
On 4 June 1999, the representative of the
US Disabled Athletes Fund contacted the Head of Transportation and
the Head of Protocol for the Atlanta Paralympic Games in 1996, who
are now employed by the US Disabled Athletes Fund Inc. who
corroborated the information that all Moroccan participants were
accounted for at the time of departure from Atlanta; they have no
knowledge of participants having stayed behind. This information
was received by the Research Directorate on 4 June 1999.
The Association marocaine des droits
humains and the Organisation marocaine des droits de l'homme were
both contacted on 4 June 1999 but could not, within time
constraints, provide information on whether participants on their
country's team did not return from Atlanta.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is
not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any
particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below a
list of additional sources consulted.
References
The International Paralympics Committee,
Bonn. 3 June 1999. Telephone interview with the President.
_____. 4 June 1999. Telephone contact
with the Media and Communications Manager.
_____. 4 June 1999. Correspondence
received from the Media and Communications Manager.
The US Disabled Athletes Fund Inc. 4
June 1999. Telephone interview with a representative in the office
of the President.
_____. 4 June 1999. Correspondence from
a representative in the office of the President.
Additional Sources Consulted
Association marocaine des droits
humains, Rabat. 4 June 1999.
Organisation marocaine des droits de
l'homme, Rabat. 4 June 1999.
Internet: The Canadian Paralympics
Association.
Online: NEXIS, IRB databases