A total of 63 athletes, 46 men and 17 women, competed in 12 sports, including the nation's Olympic debut in equestrian events.

Twelve of the athletes had competed in Beijing, including world indoor champion and middle-distance runner Abdalaati Iguider, and breaststroke swimmer Sara El Bekri.

Arab Games champion and taekwondo jin Wiam Dislam was the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.

Among the sports played by the athletes, Morocco also marked its Olympic return in slalom canoeing and road cycling after long years of absence.

Morocco, however, failed to win a gold and a silver medal in the Olympics for the first time since 1976, after poor athletic performances at these games.