JEDDAH, 11 October 2005 — Prince Turki Al-Faisal, the former Saudi ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland, and Basil Al-Ghalayini, the chairman of BMG Foundation, have announced that the next GCC Polo Cup is to be named after the late King Fahd ibn Abdul Aziz in honor of his legacy.

The event, held annually at the Guards Club at Windsor Lawns for the last nine years, pits an invitation team led by the UK’s Prince Charles against a team from the states in the Gulf Cooperation Council in a match played entirely for charity.

“The government and the people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia appreciate the BMG plan to name the cup after the late King Fahd,” said Prince Turki.

‘This initiative reflects the genuine efforts by the late King to promote sport and the role it plays in bridging the gap between peoples and different cultures.”

Al-Ghalayini said that King Fahd was a man of great vision and leadership. “He applied wisdom for the sake of the Kingdom’s evolution and inspired his countrymen for a quarter of a century,” he said.

“During his reign, King Fahd was a reforming ruler who successfully balanced tradition with modernity in Saudi Arabia.”

During his tenure as ambassador in the UK, Prince Turki attended and supported the event.

“We are grateful to Prince Turki for his continued support during the last few years,” said Al-Ghalayini.

“We wish him another great success in his new post as ambassador to Washington.”

The GCC Polo Cup, organized by BMG Foundation, has grown to be one of the most important events in the international polo calendar and has provided an opportunity for leaders in the private sector to join forces to benefit thousands of those in need.

During the past eight years, its supporters have assisted charities throughout the world, including the Prince’s Trust in the UK, the Disabled Children’s Association of Saudi Arabia, the Graham Layton trust in Pakistan, the Kidney Research Center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Friends of the Disabled Association in Lebanon and the School of Traditional Arts.

“Charity in Islam is done discreetly and so it should be,” said Al-Ghalayini.

“However, there are occasions where a cause needs to be highlighted. To link charity with fund-raising I feel is not bad idea, because it adds value to the community.”

During the last nine years, the GCC Polo Cup has been supported by an array of blue chip institutions. “We sincerely thank our previous sponsors, namely the Al-Hamrani Group and the Saudi Telecom Company from Saudi Arabia, Al-Ahlia Investment of Kuwait, the MedGulf Company from Lebanon, and the Raya Company of Egypt.

We also express our gratitude to our first sponsors of the next cup, which include Vodafone and Barclays Bank” Al-Ghalayini added.