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Norway's government admitted Monday that one of its diplomats and two off-duty members of its military had played a role in operations which led to the two children of the athlete being smuggled out of the country.

The Norwegian government however denied being involved directly in the smuggling.

Skah, who won the 10,000 metres at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, had accused the Norwegian embassy in Rabat of abducting the pair and helping their Norwegian mother, Anne Cecilie Hopstock, organise their clandestine exit from Morocco in July last year.

A Moroccan foreign ministry statement said that "the perpetrators of the fraudulent exit from our territory of the two Moroccan children and their accomplices have committed serious violations and cannot remain unpunished."

It said those implicated "must be legally held to account."

Oslo admits it temporarily housed Selma, born in 1993, and Tarik, born in 1996, at the ambassador's residence, believing their safety was at risk.

The two children were then taken out of the country by boat by two members of the Norwegian special forces who, according to Oslo, were on vacation at the time and acting without knowledge of their superiors.

Skah's former wife has been demanding custody of the children, who have dual nationality and are now in Norway, since leaving Morocco in 2007.

She has filed charges against him for kidnapping, violence and threats.

Both parents have obtained custody of the children in their respective countries