He is a brother of Noureddine Morceli. At the 1979 Mediterranean Games he won a bronze medal in the 1500 metres and a silver medal in the 800 metres. He also won the bronze medal at the 1977 Summer Universiade, and the silver medal at the 1979 African Championships. He became Algerian champion in 1978, 1983 and 1985. He competed at the 1980 and 1984 Summer Olympics without reaching the final, and also at the 1983 World Championships.