Breaking barriers: Saudi women footballers shine in the spotlight

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Updated 22 September 2024
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Breaking barriers: Saudi women footballers shine in the spotlight

  • Six years after the launch of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform program, female footballers proudly represent a country
  • Before recent social reforms, it was difficult to even find a field on which to play

RIYADH: Social reforms have driven a significant transformation in Saudi women’s football in recent years, broadening the sport and offering new opportunities for players.

Female footballers once played in the shadows, honing their skills indoors, and longing for the opportunity to compete openly.

Now, just six years after the launch of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform program, they proudly represent a country that has a thriving women’s league and hosts international tournaments, including the West Asian Football Federation Women’s Championship.

Dona Rajab, assistant coach of the Saudi women’s national team, remembers a time when women had to create their own opportunities to train together.

Women played football in Saudi Arabia as early as 2004 in cities such as Jeddah, Dammam, and Riyadh, she said. “It was not made public, but it still happened.”

Before recent social reforms, it was difficult to even find a field on which to play.

In 2016, Rajab joined a group of young women playing football in Gold’s Gym. Within a year, the premises closed its outdoor area for renovations, leaving the players searching for another location.




Dona Rajab, Assistant Coach of the Saudi Women’s National Team. (Supplied)

“Unfortunately, not many football fields at the time would rent to girls, and we were rejected everywhere.”

After repeated rejections by football field owners, Rajab and the group finally received a “yes.”

“One day, the owner of one of the fields supported us playing football, and let us rent one of his fields with conditions. We didn’t care, we just wanted to play.”

Rajab quickly saw the talent and potential of these young women.

“I took the initiative to coach these girls with the knowledge I had as a player.”

As time passed, Rajab noticed more girls were interested in the game and the numbers at each at practice kept increasing.

“I got excited, and that is when the Storm team began in 2017.

“As we played friendly matches at times with some other girls, I got even more excited and started to care more about coaching and took the step of getting my coaching license.”

A lot of the young women who started their careers with the Storm are now playing in the Premier League and national team.

“I am honored and proud of each girl who worked hard and finally started to see their dreams come true. And that’s all I ask,” Rajab said.

“Since I got the chance as a child and young adult to play in the US, all I wanted was for these girls is to have the chance. With the support of our country, many have fulfilled their dreams.”

For years, Saudi women showed remarkable determination, patiently waiting for their moment to shine. That time arrived in 2018, marking a significant turning point in women’s sports in the Kingdom when a new law permitted women to attend football matches in stadiums.

“The impact on women’s careers in football with the support of government authorities was great. It created opportunities not just as players, but in different departments such as management, media, coaching, and even in education,” Rajab said.




Dona Rajab, Assistant Coach of the Saudi Women’s National Team. (Supplied)

“It is an amazing feeling to know that women around the Kingdom are participating in football, and are part of the growth of the game. Watching young girls being influenced by the game makes me want to work harder to keep developing the game in Saudi Arabia.”

In 2019, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation established a women’s football department. Since that milestone, support for female footballers has increased, leading to the formation of the women’s national football team in 2021, which played its first official international friendly match in February 2022.

Referring to the first international women’s football tournament held in the Kingdom in 2023, Rajab said that “being part of a competition for the first time as a team in history is something indescribable in words.

“The emotions, efforts, and hardship during that time can’t be explained. We took it day by day, game by game, and did our best to achieve the goal we wanted, which was playing the game.”

She said the tournament had a major impact on women’s football today. “As you can see, more girls are interested in the game and families are more supportive.”

Reflecting on her accomplishments, Rajab said: “Being where I am today is an honor — watching talents grow and thrive to be better and stronger each day.”

Majd and Najd Alotaibi are sisters who play football professionally in Saudi Arabia and are members of the women’s national team.




Najd Alotaibi, Al Qadsiah player (right). (Supplied)

Their passion for football was supported from a young age by their father, Fahad, a former player for Al-Tai.

“I wouldn’t have made it this far without my family’s support, which is something I’m very grateful for. My biggest inspiration is my dad. He’s a big part of my journey and I couldn’t have done it without him. This is only the beginning of my journey,” said Majd, 17, who plays for Al-Hilal.

She described her pride at representing the Kingdom, saying: “Just knowing that I will be wearing my country’s name while in the Saudi national team gives me so much support and motivation.”

Najd, 18, plays for Al-Riyadh. She began playing football at the age of 7, and has “not looked back.”

“My country’s support was my biggest motivation. They have always provided many opportunities for me to grow and improve,” she said.




Majd Alotaibi from Al-Hilal and the Saudi women’s national team player. (Supplied)

 


Authorities enforce ban on non-compliant trucks

Updated 5 sec ago
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Authorities enforce ban on non-compliant trucks

  • This initiative reflects the authority’s commitment to regulating the sector
  • Foreign trucks are restricted to transporting goods from abroad to designated delivery points

RIYADH: The Transport General Authority has announced the seizure of many foreign trucks found violating transportation regulations and legislation while transporting goods between cities in the Kingdom.
This initiative, undertaken in collaboration with relevant authorities, reflects the authority’s commitment to regulating the sector, promoting compliance, ensuring fair competition, enhancing the security and safety of transportation services, and preserving public resources and road infrastructure.
The authority said that the mechanism adopted to control foreign truck transport operations — in coordination with various government entities — prohibits traders, factories, importers, institutions and companies from contracting with non-Saudi vehicles.
Foreign trucks are restricted to transporting goods from abroad to designated delivery points in Saudi cities or on their way back to their country of origin. This return must originate from the same delivery point or from any city along the return route. Such operations also require a permit issued by the authority.


Saudi citizen wanted on suspicion of corruption extradited to Kingdom from Russia

Updated 49 min 3 sec ago
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Saudi citizen wanted on suspicion of corruption extradited to Kingdom from Russia

  • Abdullah bin Awadh Aydha Al-Harthi was wanted on suspicion of financial and administrative corruption crimes

RIYADH: A Saudi citizen suspected of corruption crimes has been extradited back to the Kingdom from Russia, the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, Nazaha, announced on Friday.

Abdullah bin Awadh Aydha Al-Harthi was wanted on suspicion of financial and administrative corruption crimes, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The transfer was carried out as part of a memorandum of understanding between Nazaha and Russia’s Public Prosecution, and “underscores the strong commitment of both nations to uphold the rule of law and promote international cooperation in the fight against corruption,” SPA added.

Nazaha highlighted the role played by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office in responding to its official request to extradite Al-Harthi and praised the support of the global Globe E Network and INTERPOL for its continued assistance in tracking individuals involved in corruption crimes and curtailing their safe havens.

Nazaha reaffirmed its resolve to pursue corrupt individuals both within and beyond the Kingdom’s borders, holding them accountable in accordance with Sharia and legal frameworks.

The authority said it remained steadfast in its mission to recover state funds and assets misappropriated through corruption, ensuring they are returned to the national treasury.


Heritage Commission, KSGAAL launch global blog to preserve cultural and linguistic heritage

Updated 29 November 2024
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Heritage Commission, KSGAAL launch global blog to preserve cultural and linguistic heritage

  • The Naqsh blog aims to preserve Arab cultural and linguistic heritage
  • Naqsh is a visually documented linguistic blog for Arabic inscriptions found on stones, tablets, rocks or any other artifacts in the Kingdom

RIYADH: The Saudi Heritage Commission, in collaboration with King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, or KSGAAL, launched the Naqsh blog on Thursday on the sidelines of the Saudi International Handicrafts Week exhibition.

The Naqsh blog aims to preserve Arab cultural and linguistic heritage, providing a reliable source for researchers and those interested in archaeology, history, the Arabic language and comparative studies, an official statement said.

The blog also seeks to enhance the scientific reference for trustworthy Arabic data and develop AI models for analyzing and interpreting inscriptions, in alignment with the objectives of the Human Capital Development Program, one of the Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives, and the National Culture Strategy.

Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of KSGAAL, said that the path of linguistic blogs served related scholars and researchers and was an integral part of the academy’s linguistic work, projects and institutional initiatives.

Naqsh is a visually documented linguistic blog for Arabic inscriptions found on stones, tablets, rocks or any other artifacts in the Kingdom.

The blog includes commemorative, religious, literary and commercial inscriptions that reflect the cultural and social conditions throughout the ages, he said.

The blog highlights the historical and linguistic significance of Arabic inscriptions, understanding the linguistic and cultural development in the region, and also serves as a crucial source for studying the evolution of writing and Arabic calligraphy through the ages, he said.

In early 2024, KSGAAL launched the “Falak” platform for linguistic databases, which includes several linguistic platforms featuring advanced computational tools.

These tools facilitate text analysis and linguistic data tagging and enable Arabic language enthusiasts to collaborate in the field of Arabic language computing.

The “Falak” platform also aims to enhance the scientific reference for reliable Arabic linguistic data. It is one of the academy’s prominent initiatives in the field of linguistic computing, containing more than 1.5 billion words.

Sami Al-Mukhayzim, chairman of the Saudi Historical Society, told Arab News that the Naqsh blog serves as a highly significant historical resource.

Inscriptions are among the oldest tools documenting vivid and accurate information about ancient civilizations. These inscriptions contribute to illustrating the development of writing, ideas, beliefs and the daily interactions of those civilizations, he said.

Abdullah Al-Khuzam, a craft trainer at the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, said that documenting human heritage was one of the fundamental administrative and civilizational methods and an essential enabler for building a growing future grounded in a distinctive historical and archaeological depth.

The Naqsh blog will serve as a reference for future generations, providing them with a foundation as they venture into new and contemporary horizons, drawing inspiration from heritage to develop ideas in a modern form that suits today’s world, he said.


Saudi, Japanese agencies agree to cooperation on humanitarian work

Updated 29 November 2024
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Saudi, Japanese agencies agree to cooperation on humanitarian work

Saudi aid agency KSrelief and the Japan International Cooperation Agency have agreed to cooperate on humanitarian work.

KSrelief director of partnerships and international relations, Hana Omar, and JICA’s representative from its Yemen office Kato Ken met on the sidelines of the International Conjoined Twins Conference in Riyadh.

They discussed humanitarian relief affairs, topics on the agenda of the conference, and prospects for cooperation between the two organizations, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

JICA praised the Kingdom’s humanitarian and relief programs.


Saudi Arabia to host UN Internet Governance Forum in Riyadh

Updated 29 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia to host UN Internet Governance Forum in Riyadh

  • Tech experts to discuss internet policies next month

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will host the Internet Governance Forum 2024 next month at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh.

International tech experts will discuss internet policies at the 19th edition of the UN Internet Governance Forum, which will be held between Dec. 15-19 with the theme “Building our Multistakeholder Digital Future.”

The forum is expected to attract more than 10,000 participants from 160 countries, and over 1,000 international speakers, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Abdullah Al-Swaha, the Saudi minister of communications and information technology, said the forum was “an exceptional platform in the era of artificial intelligence to enhance international digital cooperation between governments, the private sector, the nonprofit sector, pioneers, and innovators.”

He added it represented an opportunity to exchange ideas to achieve economic growth, prosperity for societies and a sustainable digital future to serve humanity.

The event will host 300 sessions and workshops, during which participants will discuss the latest internet governance policies and emerging digital challenges while sharing best practices in the field.

The forum will revolve around four main topics: innovation and risk in the digital space; development and sustainability; promoting human rights and inclusiveness; and improving the digital governance of the internet, the SPA added.