How Saudi Arabia made its Olympic dreams a reality 

Saudi fans cheers their team on against Vietnam during a men's football qualifying match for the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Dammam. (AFP/File Photo)
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Updated 25 March 2021
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How Saudi Arabia made its Olympic dreams a reality 

  • With the Tokyo Games fast approaching, the Kingdom has put athletics, participation and sporting prowess high on the agenda 
  • Saudi athletes did not compete in the Olympics until 1972 and achieved medal success for the first time in 2000 

DUBAI: When historian Pierre de Coubertin looked to the distant past for sporting inspiration, he could never have imagined he would go on to be remembered as the father of the modern Olympic Games.

The Frenchman was a student of the ancient games, which took their name from the Panhellenic religious sanctuary of Olympia in western Greece, where they were originally held between the 8th century BC and the 4th century AD.

In 1894, Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and, just two years later, the first modern Olympics were held in Athens in recognition of their historical origins.

Since then, the Summer Games have taken place every four years, save for those canceled by the world wars, just as they did in ancient Greece, with the introduction of the Winter Games in 1924, the Paralympics in 1948 and the Youth Olympics in 2010.

But when those first official games took place in 1896, modern Saudi Arabia’s foundation as an independent nation state was still 36 years away.




A picture taken on March 13, 2019 shows an aircraft by Abu Dhabi's Etihad carrier decorated to celebrate the upcoming Special Olympics World Games during the Saudi International Airshow at Thumamah Airport in the capital Riyadh. (AFP/File Photo)

The Kingdom joined the UN at its inception in 1945, but its engagement in general sporting development was slower off the starting blocks. Olympic participation, for long, remained a distant dream.

As football’s global popularity swept the Kingdom in the first half of the 20th century, many other Olympic sports, such as track and field, fencing and equestrianism, would take a little longer to catch on, officially at least, in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation was established in 1956 and immediately became a member of FIFA. By that time, several clubs were already in existence. Al-Ittihad of Jeddah, for instance, was established in 1927, five years before independence, while city neighbors Al-Ahli came 10 years later.

The trio of Riyadh clubs, Al-Shabab, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, were founded in 1947, 1955 and 1957 respectively.

By contrast, the Saudi National Olympic Committee (NOC) was not established until 1965, and Saudi athletes did not compete until the Munich Games of 1972.

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Since then, the Kingdom has sent athletes to 11 of the 12 Summer Games, the only exception being Moscow 1980, when Saudi Arabia joined a US-led boycott of the USSR in response to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan six months earlier.

Remarkably, considering their impressive achievements in the 1980s, 1990s and beyond, generation after generation of Saudi footballers had, until recently, failed to qualify for the Olympics.

After three AFC Asian Cup triumphs in 1984, 1988 and 1996, and five World Cup appearances in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2018, that record was put straight when the Saudi under-23s team qualified to compete at the Tokyo Games, due to take place this summer but postponed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Saudi Olympic medal success finally came in the Kingdom’s seventh games at Sydney 2000 when Hadi Soua’an Al-Somaily won silver in the 110-meter hurdles and Khaled Al-Eid claimed bronze in the individual show jumping event.




Prince Abdullah Al Saud of Saudi Arabia on Davos competes in the second Individual Show Jumping qualifier of the 2012 London Olympics at the Equestrian venue in Greenwich Park, London on August 5, 2012. (AFP/File Photo)

“Since the beginning of the modern Olympic movement in 1896, respect, excellence and friendship have been talked about mainly,” Prince Fahd bin Jalawi Al-Saud, vice president of the Saudi Olympic Committee, told Arab News in December.

“That is what has been happening for the last 124 years and that is what we can see in any Olympic event, either at the Olympic Games or any other event related to it.”

It was not until 2012 that a Saudi athlete set foot on the podium again, with equestrians Ramzy Al-Duhaim, Abdullah Al-Saud, Abdullah Sharbatly and Kamal Bahamdan winning bronze in the show jumping team event.

Perhaps more significantly, London 2012 were the first senior games to include female Saudi athletes — a change many felt had been a long time coming.




Prince Abdullah Al Saud of Saudi Arabia on Davos competes in the second Individual Show Jumping qualifier of the 2012 London Olympics at the Equestrian venue in Greenwich Park, London on August 5, 2012. (AFP/File Photo)

Changes in the Olympic charter meant that every participating nation must include at least one female competitor. At the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore, 18-year-old Dalma Rushdi Malhas had won bronze for Saudi Arabia in the individual show jumping event. Her podium finish was the Kingdom’s only victory at the competition.

Two years later in London, it was the turn of athlete Sarah Attar in the 800 meters and judo competitor Wojdan Shaherkani in the above 78kg event to make history as the first Saudi female athletes at the senior Olympics.

While there had been a genuine desire from the Saudi side to take female athletes to London, there was still an impulse within the NOC not to cause offense at a time when a still conservative Kingdom had not yet seen the cultural and societal changes of the late 2010s and early 2020s.

There were even last-minute concerns that Shaherkani would pull out if she was not allowed to wear her hijab during competition. But, having pushed the Saudi NOC to introduce women into the games, the IOC relented.

There would be no medals for either competitor, but a longstanding taboo had been broken.

“Any change will face some resistance. What we do in the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Sport for all Federation is all about diversity and inclusion,” Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, who became the Kingdom’s first sports minister in early 2020, told Arab News late last year, while discussing women’s participation in sport.

“Things are changing in a positive way and we have to make sure that it changes in the right way with the right momentum.”

In the 2016 Olympic Games, Saudi Arabia took seven male and four female competitors to Rio.

Attar returned for her second games, but this time in the women’s marathon rather than the 800-meter dash. She was joined by Kariman Abuljadayel, who took part in the first heat of the women’s 100 meters, but did not progress further.




The Saudi team (from L) Prince Abdullah al Saud, Kamal Bahamdan, Ramzy Al Duhami and Abdullah Waleed Sharbatly (bronze) celebrate with their bronze medals on the podium of the team Show Jumping event of the 2012 London Olympics. (AFP/File Photo)

On the men’s side, Abdullah Abkar Mohammed ran in the 100-meter race, while long-distance runners Tariq Ahmed Al-Amri and Mukhlid Mahil Al-Otaibi took part in the 5,000 meters.

Sultan Al-Dawoodi competed in the discus, Atallah Al-Anazi in shooting and Sulaiman Hamad in judo.

Doubling the number of female athletes from the London Games, Joud Fahmy and Lubna Al-Omair took part respectively in judo and fencing.

Sadly, there would not be a single Saudi medal in Rio. But the days when simply taking part was seen as a minor triumph in itself are coming to an end.

Since the Kingdom launched its ambitious Vision 2030 plan to diversify the economy away from oil, Saudi Arabia has made several bids to host international sports tournaments and has eased social restrictions on participation and spectating.

With more and more male and female sports federations being established on an almost monthly basis, and genuine financial backing coming from the country’s authorities, the time is surely not far when more Saudi athletes will qualify for the Olympics.

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Twitter: @AliKhaled_


Kane double fires Bayern into Club World Cup last eight

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Kane double fires Bayern into Club World Cup last eight

  • Vincent Kompany’s side will now play European champions Paris Saint-Germain in Atlanta on Saturday for a place in the last four

MIAMI GARDENS, United States: Harry Kane scored twice as Bayern Munich overcame determined resistance from Flamengo to book their place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals with an entertaining 4-2 victory on Sunday.
Vincent Kompany’s side will now play European champions Paris Saint-Germain in Atlanta on Saturday for a place in the last four.
Flamengo, backed by a huge and passionate following at Hard Rock Stadium, bow out of the tournament despite a performance of real determination from Filipe Luis’s team.
It took just six minutes for Bayern to grab the lead when Joshua Kimmich whipped in a corner and Flamengo defender Erick Pulgar’s header flashed into his own net off the far post.
Four minutes later and Bayern had doubled their advantage. Dayot Upamecano won the ball inside Flamengo’s half and fed Harry Kane whose low shot deflected off Leo Ortiz and rattled into the bottom corner.
The German champions looked like they were going to run away with the game but the three-times Copa Libertadores champions were able to find a foothold in the game.
Luiz Araujo forced Manuel Neuer into action with a dangerous snap shot and then the winger went close again with a shot on the turn which flew just wide of the post.
Flamengo were rewarded for their efforts in the 33rd minute when after the dangerous Araujo played the ball in from the left, the ball fell to Gerson who unleashed a thunderbolt which rocketed past Neuer to bring the bulk of the 60,914 crowd to their feet.
But all that good work from the Rio team was undone four minutes before the break when Araujo’s poor clearance landed straight at the feet of Leon Goretzka who had the time and space to settle himself before, from over 20 yards out, placing his shot into the corner to make it 3-1.
Flamengo came out determined to respond once again and they reduced the deficit again in the 55th minute when Michael Olize handled a cross from Giorgian de Arrascaeta at close range.
It was the kind of tough call that has become normal in the modern game and former Chelsea midfielder Jorginho took advantage of the opportunity with an ice-cool conversion.
But for all Flamengo’s energy, they lacked composure and quality at key moments in the final third — something that could never be said about Bayern.
The contest was finally settled in the 73rd minute when Konrad Laimer won the ball in midfield and fed Kimmich who in turn slipped the ball through to Kane who confidently beat Agustin Rossi with one of his trademark precision and power drives.


Mayar Sherif takes a big swing ahead of Wimbledon

Updated 29 June 2025
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Mayar Sherif takes a big swing ahead of Wimbledon

  • Egyptian makes bold racket switch to boost her career

LONDON: Switching rackets can be one of the scariest things a tennis player can do, but it can also be incredibly rewarding.

Egyptian player Mayar Sherif is banking on the latter as she took the bold decision to change her equipment from Wilson to Head in an effort to take another step forward in her tennis career.

At No. 86 in the world, Sherif is the second-highest-ranked Arab in professional tennis right now and is one of just two players from the MENA region competing in singles at Wimbledon this fortnight – alongside Tunisian Ons Jabeur.

Two months ago, Sherif was encouraged by her coach, Justo Gonzalez, to test out a new racket that would help her generate more power with less effort.

The racket she’d been using for the past four years was unforgiving – “physically exhausting” is how Sherif put it – and for a clay-court specialist like her, who frequently plays lengthy, gruelling matches on the red dirt, a change felt like the smart way to go. At 29, Sherif also felt that fiddling with her equipment could help extend her career.

So before the tournament in Parma in May, Sherif decided to give a new racket a try. There was one hitch though: she only had one racket to use for her first round because there was no time to get more from the manufacturer.

“I had one racket, and I knew that the racket lasts two hours, and then I’d break the strings. So I went to my first match knowing that if I get into a third set, I probably would have to switch back to my old racket. So this is the mentality I had with my first match,” Sherif told Arab News on Sunday ahead of her Wimbledon opener against Mirra Andreeva on Tuesday.

“I was getting panic attacks in the first set. I couldn't control my heart rate. I couldn't control everything. I've never felt that anxious on a tennis court. And the first set was going 5-all, 6-5, and I was so scared to lose one set, you know? So I won that match, and I won the second, and the other rackets came, and finally I won the tournament.”

Sherif will be one of just two players from the MENA region competing in singles at Wimbledon this fortnight – alongside Tunisian Ons Jabeur. (Courtesy: Wimbledon/AELTC)

After triumphing in Parma, Sherif took some weight off of the new racket, looking to perfect it, and despite briefly losing faith in it, she ended up winning another tournament with it in Biarritz.

Sherif’s game is naturally-suited to clay, but the Egyptian is hoping she can make the necessary adjustments for the grass at Wimbledon, where she is contesting the main draw for a third consecutive season.

She explained that changing her racket is the first step in changing her identity as a player. All 12 of her titles won at the 100, 125 or 250 level, have come on clay.

The goal is to be able to tailor her game to other surfaces, like hard courts and grass.

“That's the first step, to try to play not only clay-court tennis, to try to hit harder, to try so that the ball doesn't pick up that much spin all the time, so that I get some easy power, so that I don't have to generate everything myself. Because my other racket was a bit physically exhausting,” she explained.

“Also serving. Right now, I'm serving so much better than with my other racket. That's something we worked on as well. I'm still at a moment where the racket is not 100 percent a part of me.

“But I'm getting there, and I'm having better feelings.”

Other adjustments she’s been making include working on her slice returns and incorporating more drop shots to her game.

“Changing with a slice. I usually don't change with backhand slice. But hopefully here, I can get some slices in general,” she added.

“Getting fitter and working on my movement, this is something I've worked on in the last couple of months. And I feel much better on court, lighter. Because here (at Wimbledon), if you're not light, if you're not on your feet, you run one time, and you're not going to get back on court. You're not going to get the next ball.”

Sherif’s experience is limited on grass, the former world No. 31 has played a total of just seven tour-level matches on the surface and has won just two of those encounters. (Courtesty: Wimbledon/AELTC)

Sherif’s experience is limited on grass. The former world No. 31 has played a total of just seven tour-level matches on the surface – through main draws and qualifying – and has won just two of those encounters.

She’s been enjoying her time in south-west London though, where she is renting a house with her team that is a short walking distance from the All England Club.

One of her sisters, her mother, and her two aunts, are all in town to see Sherif play, and the whole family – a tennis-addicted family – has been taking in the immaculate surroundings of SW19.

“Everything here is very special, very beautiful. To play on grass is always something special, it's different,” said Sherif.

“So I’m just very happy to be here another time. To be in the top 100 is always rewarding, to play the Grand Slams. Hopefully here I can make a good result and work on my things. It's a tough opening round, but hopefully I can go through it.”

Sherif’s opponent, Andreeva, is ranked No.7 in the world, and is having a phenomenal season so far, that includes WTA 1000 title runs in Dubai and Indian Wells.

The 18-year-old Russian is also playing her third-ever Wimbledon and is 7-5 overall on grass at the pro level. Andreeva reached the fourth round, as a qualifier, on her tournament debut in 2023.

“It's obviously challenging, because she's been doing really good results. She's been playing really well. She's won a couple of big tournaments,” said Sherif of her first-round opponent.

“But to be honest, I'm looking to play now bigger tournaments, play at the higher level. I want to get myself to play at the edge of the high level. So, I'm looking forward to this match and to learn and keep learning week by week.”


PSG rout Messi’s Inter Miami to reach Club World Cup quarters

Updated 29 June 2025
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PSG rout Messi’s Inter Miami to reach Club World Cup quarters

  • PSG will face Bayern Munich or Flamengo in the quarter-finals in Atlanta on Saturday

ATLANTA: Paris Saint-Germain steamrollered Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami 4-0 to reach the Club World Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.
Miami hoped the Argentine superstar’s magic could help them produce an unlikely result against his former side, but the Major League Soccer side were dismantled in Atlanta by Luis Enrique’s rampant European champions.
Ageing great Messi and his former Barcelona team-mates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba had done well to reach the last 16 but the gulf in quality between the teams was laid bare over the 90 minutes.
Joao Neves netted twice for PSG, who benefitted from a Tomas Aviles own goal, while Achraf Hakimi was also on target.
After Neves opened the scoring early on Miami resisted until PSG hit three goals in 10 minutes toward the end of the first half.
Messi was the main draw, as fans chanted his name and most of the 66,000 crowd were clad in Miami’s hot pink interspersed with Argentina shirts.
PSG dominated from the start, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia floating into the box and teeing up Bradley Barcola, but Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari thwarted him with an outstretched leg.
However shortly afterwards over-run Miami right-back Marcelo Weigandt fouled Desire Doue and it led to PSG’s opener.
Vitinha whipped a free-kick to the back post where Portuguese midfielder Neves ran in completely unmarked, stooping to nod past Ustari after six minutes.
PSG’s Fabian Ruiz had a goal disallowed for offside before Miami defender Noah Allen limped off injured in a further blow for Javier Mascherano’s side.
With the Ligue 1 champions pressing high and keeping possession Miami found it hard to get Messi involved.
The 38-year-old Argentine superstar played a superbly weighted pass down the right flank for Tadeo Allende but a rare Miami break came to nothing.
Messi’s intermittent interventions were not enough to hold back the Parisian tide.
PSG doubled their lead in the 39th minute when veteran holding midfielder Busquets got his footwork wrong in front of his own box.
Spanish compatriot Ruiz rapidly relieved him of the ball and combined with Barcola to set up Neves to tap home his second.
PSG grabbed their third when Aviles deflected Doue’s cross into his own net, and Hakimi netted the fourth before half-time to put PSG out of sight.
The Morocco international’s first effort was deflected onto the crossbar but he stayed alert at the air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Stadium to fire home the rebound.
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi lost his cool with a swipe aimed at Vitinha as the Argentine raged against the midfielder, Miami’s impotence and PSG’s swagger.
Messi produced a brilliant pass for Suarez early in the second half, chipping a ball over the PSG defense, but the Uruguayan could not finish to offer Miami a lifeline.
Despite the impossibility of a comeback — there was to be no comeback like the one Luis Enrique’s Barcelona managed in 2017 against PSG from four goals down in which Messi and Suarez scored — the Argentine was determined to bow out with a bang.
Messi drew a first save from PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma after the hour mark with a low effort.
Luis Enrique sent on winger Ousmane Dembele for his first appearance at the tournament after a hamstring injury, but the Frenchman was rusty and imprecise.
When Suarez was fouled by Lucas Beraldo on the edge of the box Messi had the chance to repeat his free-kick winner against Porto in the group stage, but his effort hit the wall.
It was not to be for Messi or Miami, but their second-half performance was respectable and the defeat was by a lesser margin than the French side’s 5-0 Champions League final thrashing of Inter Milan.
PSG will face Bayern Munich or Flamengo in the quarter-finals in Atlanta on Saturday.


Arab Golf Federation wraps up inaugural Elite Scholarship Camp in Riyadh

Updated 29 June 2025
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Arab Golf Federation wraps up inaugural Elite Scholarship Camp in Riyadh

  • Targeting under-18 boys and girls, the program forms part of the federation’s broader effort to create a sustainable pipeline of Arab golfers capable of competing on the global stage

RIYADH: The Arab Golf Federation concluded the first-ever edition of its Elite Sports Scholarship Program Camp on Sunday.

The event brought together 16 promising young golfers from across the region for an intensive four-day development experience at Riyadh Golf Club.

The camp, held in partnership with IMG Academy, marked the launch of one of the AGF’s flagship long-term initiatives aimed at producing a new generation of Arab golfing talent by 2035.

Targeting under-18 boys and girls, the program forms part of the federation’s broader effort to create a sustainable pipeline of Arab golfers capable of competing on the global stage.

Over the course of the week, participants underwent technical, physical and psychological assessments, including high-performance testing using TrackMan technology, as well as on-course and indoor training.

To simulate competitive pressure, players took part in two 18-hole championship rounds, with final-day winners crowned and scholarship recipients selected.

Those chosen will begin receiving full support from August, including elite coaching, academic tutoring, strength and conditioning, and mental performance services.

Speaking at the camp, IMG Academy Executive Director Kevin Craggs delivered a session titled “Mastering the Margin: Coaching for Clarity and Competitive Edge.”

Addressing families and coaches, Craggs highlighted the value of resilience, conscious leadership and athlete-centered development.

AGF President Sheikh Fahim Al-Qasimi had previously said the scholarship program represented a pivotal moment for Arab golf, positioning the region as a serious player on the global sporting map.

“By investing in the next generation of athletes, we are creating long-term opportunities for Arab players to succeed internationally,” he said ahead of the camp’s launch.

The conclusion of the Riyadh camp coincided with another major milestone for regional golf: More than 35 Arab players took part in an Asian Development Tour tournament in Morocco during the same week, highlighting the AGF’s commitment to providing real-world competitive exposure as part of its talent pipeline.


Lando Norris resists Oscar Piastri to lead dominant McLaren one-two in Austria

Updated 29 June 2025
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Lando Norris resists Oscar Piastri to lead dominant McLaren one-two in Austria

  • 25-year-old Briton came home 2.695 seconds clear of the 24-year-old Australian to trim his lead in the title race by 15 points

SPIELBERG: Lando Norris resisted vigorous attacks from team-mate and championship leader Oscar Piastri to claim a masterful McLaren 1-2 in Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix.

In torrid heat at the Red Bull Ring, the 25-year-old Briton came home 2.695 seconds clear of the 24-year-old Australian to trim his lead in the title race by 15 points.

It was Norris’s first win in Austria, his third win this year and the seventh of his career.

It was McLaren’s first win in Austria since David Coulthard triumphed in 2001.

The McLaren pair battled throughout the race to provide thrilling racing for the packed crowd and put behind them their collision in Canada two weeks earlier.

Charles Leclerc was third ahead of his Ferrari team-mate seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, their best result of the year, with George Russell finishing fifth for Mercedes.

“It was a tough race,” said Norris.

“Pushing the whole way through... tricky, hot, tiring, but the perfect result for us as a team, a 1-2 again. We had a great battle, that’s for sure.”

For Piastri, it was equally demanding.

“Intense!” he said.

“I hope it was good watching because from inside the car it was hard work. Yeah, I tried my absolute best.”

Liam Lawson came in a career-best sixth for RB on a desultory day for the senior Red Bull team after four-time champion Max Verstappen retired on the opening lap after being hit by Mercedes’ teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli. He is now 61 points behind Piastri.

Two-time champion Fernando Alonso was seventh ahead of Gabriel Bortoleto and his Sauber team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, the future Audi outfit showing their huge potential, with Esteban Ocon finishing 10th for Haas.

After a frantic prelude, during which Carlos Sainz’s Williams failed to leave the grid and then caught fire in the pit lane, the race was delayed for 10 minutes — before delivering immediate drama at the second attempt.

Norris made a clean start while, behind him, Piastri passed Leclerc on the outside of Turn One before Antonelli locked up and lost control at Turn Three and hit Verstappen’s Red Bull.

A safety car was deployed as both drivers retired on lap one ending, for the defending champion a run of 31 races in the points.

“I got hit,” said the Dutchman on team radio.

The teenage rookie apologized. “I locked the rear. Sorry about that,” he told Mercedes.

The race resumed after a two-minute slowdown and Norris was forced immediately to defend as Piastri, looking sharp, attacked as also did Russell on Hamilton for fourth. Both were thwarted by defensive driving.

By lap 12, the McLaren duo were four seconds clear and delivering a show of their own.

Unhampered by any embarrassing hangovers from their collision in Montreal, they raced side by side and wheel to wheel, but each time the Australian attacked, the Briton hung on.

In scorching heat of 32 degrees (air) and 55 (track), it was a perfect advertisement for the historic venue in the Styrian Alps which had secured a 16-year contract extension to 2041 before the race.

Norris pitted, taking hards, after surviving another Piastri lunge, at turn four, on lap 20.

Piastri then followed suit, emerging fourth until Leclerc pitted.

After the leaders out on track also changed tires Norris led Piastri by 6.5 seconds.

Red Bull’s misery intensified on lap 30 when Yuki Tsunoda hit Colapinto, sending both to the pits for repairs.

The Japanese rejoined 16th and last of the runners with a new front wing before being handed a 10-second penalty.

As the field settled Norris led Piastri by 3.2s.

Russell began the second round of stops on lap 46, followed by the rest of the leaders, leaving Norris to complete a near-perfect day in the Styrian mountains.