RIYADH: During a live training session for Saudi Arabia’s under-16 national rugby team, Ali Al-Dajani, the president of the Kingdom’s Rugby Federation, highlighted the increasing popularity of the sport in the Kingdom.
“I look forward to seeing, to be honest, it becoming one of the most popular sports in the Kingdom,” he told “The Mayman Show.” He added that rugby is seeing rapid growth as a team sport globally, including among women.
The plans of the Saudi Arabian Rugby Federation, which was established in 2019, align with these trends. The federation focuses on targeting women and inspiring the next generation of young players, expanding sevens rugby (the Olympic variant of the sport) and maintaining men’s presence in top-level rugby.
Al-Dajani said that the federation also aims to create consistency for players, showcase its structured and organized nature, and elevate the game to the next level of global participation.
“I think a lot of countries look at Saudi as a leader in many things within the region and they kind of set it as a benchmark for us. I think globally is a big picture. I think now the world is looking at Saudi, and for the federation we want to make sure that the world sees the best of Saudi,” he added.
Al-Dajani’s optimism about rugby, which he refers to as “the dark horse in the Kingdom,” comes from the changing sports landscape in Saudi Arabia. “Sports, I think, is going in a very good direction,” he said, adding: “I think Saudis have a particular talent when it comes to sports.”
Discussing the Saudi national rugby team, Al-Dajani announced that the side is getting ready for an exciting season, having taken part in just five tournaments in its short history. The Saudis are preparing for upcoming local championships in Al-Ahsa and Taif, as well as for the Saudi Games. The team will compete for the second time at the Dubai Sevens, scheduled for the beginning of December. In February next year, the Saudi team is set to take part in the Arab Sevens tournament.
The president is a passionate sport enthusiast, having played various sports during his upbringing. This background has had a positive impact on his rugby performances. “It’s just my technique for tackling, my explosiveness, my endurance, my speed was all plus three. So, it really helped and sometimes I was too fast. I was faster than I realized,” he said.
Al-Dajani added that his experience also helped him to develop strategy, teamwork and leadership capabilities.
Aside from his rugby commitments, Al-Dajani said that he enjoys studying and exploring new things. With a degree in kinesiology, the study of human movement, as well as a recently earned diploma in data analytics and sports management, he uses his knowledge to develop the federation and educate others about the health benefits of sports. So, given the evolving sports landscape in Saudi, he said: “I implore everybody to try it. There’s, I think, over 90 federations at the moment and all of them are trying their best to reach out and to find youth, so make it easy and find them.”
Al-Dajani highlighted the importance of discipline, saying: “If you want to be good in your sport, you can be as talented as the most talented person in the world, but without that discipline, without that dedication and endurance, it’s hard to make it.”
This perspective also shapes his view of his role as president of the federation. “The decisions that I potentially make today have a very big effect on the youth of tomorrow,” he said.
Perhaps this is why “Spider-Man” ranks among his favorite movies, as it taught him that with great power comes great responsibility.
