HANGZHOU: Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, president of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, is leading the Kingdom’s delegation to the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
According to a media statement on Friday, Al-Faisal arrived in the host city ahead of Saturday’s opening ceremony and was welcomed by Prince Abdullah bin Fahd, the delegation’s director, and Abdulrahman Al-Harbi, the Kingdom’s ambassador to China.
The Saudi delegation comprises 193 athletes, who will compete in 19 sports in the Games, which conclude Oct. 8.
Since the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok, Saudi athletes have won 61 medals (25 gold, 13 silver, 23 bronze) in total.
Chinese President opens Asian Games
China’s President Xi Jinping will officially launch the Asian Games on Saturday in the presence of Asian presidents and representatives and the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, at the Big Lotus Stadium in Hangzhou.
The stadium, which accommodates over 80,000 spectators, will host both the opening and closing ceremonies.
Having been delayed for a year due to COVID-19, the 19th Asian Games will host 12,000 athletes representing 45 countries, making it one of the largest so far.
Saudi rower moves on to Group B competitions
Saudi rower Haya Al-Mami has advanced to the Group B competitions after she finished sixth in the semifinals of the women’s single sculls (W1x) on Friday.
The Group B competitions determine rowers’ ranking from 6-12 and will take place on Sept. 25.
Her fellow Saudi athlete Rakan Ali Riza came in third place in the Group C competitions of the men’s single sculls (M1x) category.
Saudi table tennis team lose to world champions
The Kingdom’s table tennis team played China, the world champions and gold medalists at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Jakarta 2018 Asian Games, on Friday. The Saudi team — Ali Al-Khadrawi, Turki Al-Muteiri, and Azam Alam — lost 3-0. Their next match in Group A is against Vietnam.
The Green Falcons prepare for Vietnam
The Saudi Arabian U-23 football team trained on Friday ahead of their final match in the group stage against Vietnam, which takes place on Sunday. The Green Falcons are currently second in Group B.
Basketball team concludes training camp
The Saudi basketball team concluded their six-day training camp in Hangzhou with two friendlies against local clubs, winning both games. The Saudi team are in Group A with Kazakhstan, Iran, and the UAE. Their opening match is against Kazakhstan on Tuesday.
Handball and archery
The Kingdom’s handball and archery teams arrived in Hangzhou on Friday. The handball team have been placed in Group D along with Iran, Mongolia, and Japan. The squad consists of 16 players, who will play their first match against Japan on Sunday.
Saudi Olympic Committee president arrives in Hangzhou for Asian Games
https://arab.news/yxew2
Saudi Olympic Committee president arrives in Hangzhou for Asian Games
- Saudi delegation comprises 193 athletes competing in 19 sports
- Kingdom’s table tennis team lose 3-0 to world champions China
Saudi Arabia, Japan discuss collaboration for 2026 Asian Games
- Meeting at Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee headquarters in Riyadh
RIYADH: Officials representing the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Japan’s Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Hisashi Matsumoto discussed on Monday plans for the hosting of the 20th Asian Games and the 5th Asian Para Games in Nagoya city in 2026.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the SOPC’s CEO and Secretary-General Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Baeshen attended the meeting at the organization’s headquarters in Riyadh.
The officials discussed ways to facilitate the participation of Saudi Arabia’s sports delegation in the games.
Collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Japan have strengthened following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the SOPC and the Japanese Olympic Committee on the sidelines of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Set to begin in September, the theme of the 2026 Asian Games is “Imagine One Asia.”
-
This story was originally posted on Arab News Japan
Inter Milan coach maintains optimism despite Italian Supercup loss
- Simone Inzaghi working to regain ‘focus’ as team look to the future
RIYADH: Inter Milan will focus on boosting morale for future games following defeat in the Italian Supercup, Simone Inzaghi, the club’s manager told Arab News on Monday.
AC Milan secured a 3-2 comeback victory over city rivals Inter Milan at Riyadh’s Alawwal Park on Monday.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Inzaghi said: “We should work on motivating the players and the fans. Cheering them up and boosting their morale.
“Defeat is a hard feeling I know but we should work on regaining conscience and focus. We wanted to win the title, but it is what it is.”
Prior to the derby, Arab News interviewed devoted AC Milan fans.
Waleed Alahmed said: “Milan is going to win because of their new manager, (Sergio) Conceicao. I think his way of playing is very good and if (winger Rafael) Leao is there, Milan is going to win.”
After just one week at the helm, Conceicao has now earned his first trophy.
The hosting of the 37th Italian Supercup aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life program and the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. It is a part of the country’s plan to continue hosting major global sporting events.
The Ministry of Sports organized the event, which was hosted by the Kingdom for the fifth time.
Bangladesh revamps worker training for Saudi 2034 FIFA World Cup projects
- Govt to prepare training centers with focus on Saudi market demands
- Reskilling, upskilling services to be provided to migrants already residing in the Kingdom
DHAKA: Bangladeshi authorities are revamping training for prospective migrant workers and will offer upskilling programs to those residing in Saudi Arabia to tap into the labor market ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which the Kingdom will host in 2034.
Last month, the football governing body confirmed that Saudi Arabia had won the bid to host the world’s largest sporting event.
With the bid proposing to hold games across 15 stadiums in five cities, many new migrant workers will be involved in building new sports and transport networks, as well as hotel infrastructure.
In Bangladesh, which has a major expat community in Saudi Arabia, the trend is viewed as an “opportunity” for the country’s migrant workers, according to A.Z.M. Nurul Huq, joint secretary at the employment wing of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
“It’s a huge task, and a lot of construction works will take place targeting this World Cup event. Here lies the opportunity for us as our migrants have been working with much goodwill in many sectors of the Kingdom for many years,” Huq told Arab News.
“Saudi Arabia has to build over a dozen new stadiums, renovate existing ones and develop numerous new accommodation facilities, along with necessary infrastructure and connectivity.”
Some 3 million Bangladeshi nationals live and work in Saudi Arabia. They are the largest expat group in the Kingdom and also the biggest Bangladeshi community outside Bangladesh.
Many are employed in the construction sector as masons, electricians, pipe fitters, plumbers and electricians.
“Bangladeshi migrants can be more actively employed in the construction work for the FIFA World Cup,” Huq said.
“Works are underway for providing reskilling and upskilling services to migrants who are already in the Kingdom. In this way, our workers will be able to secure their jobs and earn more.”
For the past few years, as Saudi Arabia is prioritizing efforts to improve the professional competence of employees under its Vision 2030 program, the expatriates’ ministry has been collaborating with the Kingdom’s skills verification authority, Takamol.
The agency, which manages migrant skill certification based on the needs of Saudi employers, provides Bangladesh’s 113 technical training centers with a list of the Kingdom’s latest workforce requirements.
“Our centers tailor their programs to equip workers with the necessary skills. Upon completing the training, the prospective migrants receive certification through Takamol, which is recognized by Saudi authorities,” said Shah Zulfiquer Haider, deputy secretary at the ministry’s training wing.
As demand is set to increase in line with 2034 World Cup projects, more Bangladeshi training centers will focus on the Saudi market in particular.
“We are planning to strengthen our collaboration with Takamol,” Haider said. “Currently, a dozen technical training centers are preparing skilled workers to meet Saudi Arabia’s demands. We will soon increase the number of training centers, which will produce more skilled migrants tailored to the needs of the Saudi labor market.”
Al-Ittihad back on top as club mark 97 years of glory
- Saudi Arabia’s oldest club head the Saudi Pro League table as they celebrate 97th birthday
DUBAI/LONDON: It is fitting that as Al-Ittihad celebrate their 97th anniversary this month, the Jeddah giants are sitting on top of the Saudi Pro League.
The past is impressive. The club was founded on Jan. 4, 1927, and is one of the oldest in Asia. Not only that, but Al-Ittihad are set to join the Club of Pioneers, a global network of historic teams headed by Sheffield FC, the oldest football club in the world that was set up in 1857.
“We are very proud to be the first Arabic country to join the Club of Pioneers on our 97th year anniversary and celebrating our great achievements as the first Saudi Football club. And we look forward to our 100 years and beyond,” Dania Al-Maeena, CEO of Al-Ittihad’s nonprofit organization, told Arab News.
Now they join the likes of Wrexham of Wales, Genoa of Italy and Royal Antwerp of Belgium to become the 32nd member.
The first silverware came all the way back in 1958 with the King’s Cup and Crown Prince’s Cup, starting to fill a trophy cabinet that has become much more packed over the decades.
Fans had to wait until 1982 to celebrate a league championship. Eight more have followed. The most recent came in 2023 when Al-Ittihad were very impressive on their way to lift the title once more and for the first time since 2009.
Any club with such domestic success want to challenge internationally, and the team in yellow and black have done just that. In 1999, fans celebrated the Asian Cup Winners Cup. The big prize, however, was always the AFC Champions League and in that competition, Ittihad have made history.
In 2004, the Red Sea club lost the first leg of the final at home, 3-1 to South Korea’s Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma. Heading into the return game, nobody gave the Saudi Arabians a chance. Yet, in perhaps the most stunning result in the history of Asian club football, Al-Ittihad shocked an expectant home crowd and the continent, by winning 5-0 to take the trophy.
If that was impressive, then so was the following year, as the club were head and shoulders above the rest. In those days, the defending champions joined the competition at the quarterfinal stage.
There was an 8-3 aggregate win over China’s Shandong Luneng and then a 7-0 thrashing of South Korea’s Busan I’Park in the semifinal. The final against 2003 champions Al-Ain of the UAE was a tougher task, but it ended in a 5-3 win over two legs. No team had previously successfully defended the Asian Champions League title.
At the time, the rest of the continent feared a dynasty being established. That did not happen but Al-Ittihad are one of Asia’s biggest and most popular clubs. Joining 50,000 fans at the King Abdullah Sports City is an unforgettable football experience.
None of this is to say that the best days are in the past. As the club enter their 97th year in existence, they are in a very healthy state indeed.
In 2023, the club ended a 14-year wait for a Saudi Pro League title, and though last season did not see a repeat performance, French coach Laurent Blanc has settled extremely well since joining in July.
He has stars including Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho and Moussa Diaby at his disposal. There is also impressive domestic talent in the form of Saleh Al-Shehri, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Hassan Kadesh and many others.
The future is looking bright. After ending 2024 with nine successive league wins, they are two points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League. There is still a long way to go but Al-Ittihad are fit for the journey.
37th Italian Super Cup kicks off in Riyadh
- Serie A champions Inter Milan take on Atalanta and AC Milan tackle Juventus in bid to make Sunday’s final
RIYADH: The 37th edition of the Italian Super Cup kicks off here today with Serie A champions Inter Milan taking on Atalanta, the Coppa Italia runner-up.
Hosted by Saudi Arabia for the fifth time, the tournament takes place at Al-Awwal Park Stadium until Jan. 6. The Ministry of Sports is the organizer of the event.
AC Milan, second in the Serie A last year, take on Juventus, the Coppa Italia champions on Friday, with the final on Sunday.
The event aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life program and the country’s plan to continue hosting major global sporting events.
It reflects the Ministry of Sports’ commitment to achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
