Saudi Sports for All Federation launches new exhibition in Kingdom

Saudi Sports for All Federation launches new exhibition in Kingdom
The SFA Health and Fitness Expo will invite Saudi citizens and residents to explore a diverse range of sporting programs and activities. (Supplied)
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Updated 14 May 2023
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Saudi Sports for All Federation launches new exhibition in Kingdom

Saudi Sports for All Federation launches new exhibition in Kingdom
  • SFA health, fitness event will offer competitions, games, activations, talks for all ages, abilities

RIYADH: The Saudi Sports for All Federation is set to introduce a first-of-its-kind sporting event to the Kingdom that will target residents of all backgrounds and ages.

With the aim of immersing people and communities in Saudi Arabia’s sports culture, the federation has launched the SFA Health and Fitness Expo, the largest fitness and health exhibition in the country.

Scheduled to take place from May 18 to 20 in Riyadh, the family-friendly event will invite Saudi citizens and residents to explore a diverse range of sporting programs and activities. It will be hosted at the Riyadh Front, a venue spanning 10,000 square meters.

SFA President Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed Al-Saud, said: “We are delighted to be launching this one-of-a-kind event; a community-focused exhibition that celebrates the power and culture of local sports.

“The SFA Health and Fitness Expo is the latest step we have taken to distinguish Saudi Arabia as a world-class sports hub; one in which all people are empowered to live their best lives and fulfil their athletic potential — be it just as a hobby, as a social pursuit, or a career goal.

“The exhibition will help to transform our communities and economy, leveraging sports as a tool to safeguard our future. We welcome all members of the community to take part.”

The exhibition will provide access to a variety of shopping deals and retail offers, with leading local and international sports goods suppliers — including activewear and fitness brands, and wellness and nutrition companies — on hand to showcase and sell community sports products.

Additionally, visitors will be able to purchase their own fitness and health franchise. Guests will be encouraged to take part in a wide selection of competitions and fitness activations including Zumba and Pilates sessions, yoga and mindfulness classes, and age-appropriate programs tailored for kids.

Shaima Saleh Al-Husseini, SFA managing director, said: “This event offers attendees an opportunity to meet the top experts and professionals in the field of health and fitness, network with vendors, and learn about cutting-edge fitness ideas and techniques that help create sustainable habits that lead to a happier and healthier society.

“The main focus of the event will be on showcasing the various sports departments, as well as healthy food sections, and daily sports activities performed by the most prominent athletic male and female trainers, who will offer support and valuable advice to attendees from both genders.”

The event is in line with SFA’s commitment to achieving the goals of Vision 2030 and the Quality of Life Program to create a healthier Saudi Arabia and raise physical activity levels in the country.

The SFA Expo sponsors will include Invest Saudi, Delta Fitness, Riyad Bank, and Al-Arabiya, in addition to official event supporters such as Salonpas, Saudi 360, and Get More Vits.


Next Gen Finals just the start for Saudi Arabia’s grand tennis plans

Next Gen Finals just the start for Saudi Arabia’s grand tennis plans
Updated 09 December 2023
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Next Gen Finals just the start for Saudi Arabia’s grand tennis plans

Next Gen Finals just the start for Saudi Arabia’s grand tennis plans
  • Building a lasting tennis culture and attracting more women’s and men’s events a priority moving forward, says federation chief

Saudi Tennis Federation President Arij Mutabagani cannot stop smiling as she reflects on the recently concluded Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah — the first officially sanctioned tennis tournament to take place in the Kingdom.

“I think I’m still dreaming,” Mutabagani told Arab News. “I have to say that Saudi Arabia made history with this event, because it’s the first event under the umbrella of the ATP (to be staged here).

“And I think to start it off with a next-generation event, it’s very close to us and it makes a lot of sense because our population is very young. So, this is the perfect way to inspire our young youth to start playing tennis and to get to know the sport.”

The sixth edition of the Next Gen ATP Finals, a tournament that features eight of the best players on tour aged 21 and under, made its debut in Saudi Arabia last week and saw Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic clinch the title with a high-quality five-set victory over French teenager Arthur Fils in front of a capacity crowd at King Abdullah Sports City’s indoor arena.

The feedback from all the players has been very positive, with many taking great pride in playing a role in promoting tennis to a new audience in Saudi Arabia.

“It means a lot. Seeing some very, very little guy in the crowd enjoying the show, it’s very nice and I hope they’re going to play tennis and be very, very good,” Fils told Arab News in Jeddah.

“I think here, they have good players, but they don’t have any elite players in the top 100, so I hope this is going to change. Let’s see what happens in the future, but if some young guys can play and be very, very good, I really hope to see that.”

 

 

Daniel Vallverdu, co-tournament director of the Next Gen ATP Finals, said the event had gone “incredibly well” and hailed the efforts made by the Ministry of Sport and the Saudi Tennis Federation to put it all together in a short time frame.

He added that opting to host the Next Gen Finals as the first official tennis tournament in the Kingdom was “100 percent the right strategy” as opposed to starting with a bigger event like a Masters 1000.

“When you start bringing big names, you have a strong impact right away, but if there’s not continuity to it, the interest drops and then basically you did it for nothing,” said Vallverdu.

“For me, there’s two components. The first one is the connection between the Next Gen and the young population in Saudi. I think it’s the right message.

“The second one is it’s a real partnership with the tour, which is what the federation wanted to do. You’re taking on an officially owned ATP event. So you’re working with the ATP to deliver the event; it’s not like you’re taking an event on your own and then you’re delivering a 250 or a 500-level tournament on your own with no connection to the ATP.

“Here, it’s a real partnership, which is a message the federation wanted to send, to show that willingness and idea to work with the tours. They’re trying to work the same way with the WTA and hopefully some positive news will come out at some point.”

Indeed, the Next Gen ATP Finals is just the start when it comes to the Kingdom’s involvement with tennis. The prestigious year-end WTA Finals is expected to be the next major sports event heading Saudi’s way, and Mutabagani said that there could be more in the pipeline.

“We’re still in talks with the WTA. Nothing is final, nothing is set. We’re trying to find what’s the best way to collaborate with the WTA; whether it’s the Finals, whether it’s other tournaments. We’re in great discussions and things are moving along. So, we’re very optimistic,” she said.

“We’re still hoping that next year we can have a combined Next Gen event with the females. So it would be male under 21 and female under 21. I think that would be great to inspire female tennis players here.”

There have been rumblings about Saudi Arabia’s desire to host a Masters 1000 event, but Mutabagani believes taking things one step at a time is the best way to grow the sport locally and foster a strong relationship with the major stakeholders in tennis.

“It’s a dream, of course, if we can get an ATP 1000. Everybody dreams of that — that’s like the top of the pyramid,” she added.

“But I think we’re moving slowly, gradually and building it up slowly. That’s the best way to go. And if it comes, sure, why not? But if it doesn’t, we’ll still keep going and hopefully we’re building this good relationship and long-term relationship and partnership with the ATP, with the WTA, with the ITF, so I think we’re in a good position, but everything has to take its time.”

Mutabagani deemed the first staging of the Next Gen Finals in Jeddah a resounding success, noting that getting the event off the ground and bringing the men’s professional tour to Saudi Arabia is in itself an achievement.

She acknowledged the low attendance figures for the opening few sessions of the five-day tournament but believes the event will attract a wider audience in upcoming editions, with Jeddah set to host the event through 2027.

“Yes, the attendance wasn’t as expected, but it’s only normal. It’s a new sport in Saudi Arabia, so that’s expected. And now we know what we have to do and how to promote it even better and how to encourage people by having different programs; the federation will work on them and promote tennis in general and put more light on it and kind of encourage people.”

Working on grassroots initiatives and building a healthy calendar of tennis tournaments at the junior and lower levels will be key for Saudi Arabia to capitalize on the Next Gen Finals and create a lasting tennis culture across the Kingdom.

“I’m pretty confident the passion for tennis here is going to grow but I know it’s going to take time,” said Saudi’s number one tennis player Ammar Al-Hogbani, who served as one of the resident hitting partners for the players during the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Al-Hogbani, who played college tennis at the University of Virginia, works with the Saudi Tennis Federation as the national teams development officer but is also keen on reviving his own playing career.

“Football has been king for so long so it’s hard to drive away the focus from that but right now there’s a huge push in other sports and tennis is considered a priority sport,” said the 24-year-old.

“So, we’re seeing different initiatives going on. We’ve implemented with the Sports For All Federation and the Saudi Tennis Federation a Tennis For All program that’s implemented into schools, so that’s getting around 30,000 kids touching a racket. It’s implemented in the curriculum. So, with that, there’s a big push.

“And then we had junior ITFs last year, I was the tournament director, the first girls’ and boys’ ITFs happened, and then two more this year in Riyadh. And obviously we had the first participation in the Billie Jean King Cup. So, Saudi is moving in fifth gear.

“I see it growing in the next five to 10 years; tennis is a medium to long-term sport, and also you need role models to look up to.”

 

 

Jordanian Abdullah Shelbayh was given a wildcard to compete in the Next Gen Finals, and produced some great performances before exiting the tournament with one victory and two losses in the round-robin stage.

Vallverdu described Shelbayh as “the highlight of the tournament” and his presence as a young Arab star in the making as particularly inspiring for the Saudi boys and girls in attendance.

“I think he’s been incredible,” said Vallverdu of the 20-year-old Shelbayh, who broke the top 200 in the world rankings for the first time last month.

“Obviously, to see someone from the region doing so well, it’s special; that’s what drives interest and participation. Of course, having someone like him, someone like (Tunisian star) Ons Jabeur, that’s a given that you can’t buy that. These players doing well is going to help federations grow the sport quicker.

“Having Abdullah here was the right decision. Thankfully, the ATP decided to give him the wildcard and I think it’s paid off really well not only for the event, but also for all the neighboring countries to have someone like him doing well at an ATP event here. For me, he’s been the highlight of the event.”

Mutabagani highlighted some of the plans and initiatives that are in the works, which would hopefully one day result in having Saudi tennis players competing at the highest level in the sport.

“Definitely, we want to promote tennis more. We’re working with the Ministry of Sport on developing more training facilities because eventually we will start hosting more junior tournaments at a lower level so our players can participate,” she said.

“Whether it’s ITF under 18, or Challengers or Futures, men’s and women’s tournaments; this way we start building the potential in our youth and eventually maybe one day we will see them playing one of these Next Gen events. Maybe not in the next five years but it’s good to dream.”


‘Day of Reckoning’ in Riyadh set to reorder boxing’s heavyweight division

‘Day of Reckoning’ in Riyadh set to reorder boxing’s heavyweight division
Updated 08 December 2023
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‘Day of Reckoning’ in Riyadh set to reorder boxing’s heavyweight division

‘Day of Reckoning’ in Riyadh set to reorder boxing’s heavyweight division
  • Several top-10 fighters will clash on Dec. 23, including Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua

RIYADH: Boxing’s heavyweight division is set for a major reordering when the “Day of Reckoning” takes place in Riyadh on Dec. 23, with a number of top-10 fighters vying for No. 1 status.

Leading the pack are Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, who may fight each other after their bouts this month. A bout between the two has long been mooted but negotiations have broken down several times over the past few years.

They are on the same card and seeking to become the No. 1 contender for the World Boxing Council title.

Should both win their respective bouts, they will face each other for the right to challenge the winner of the undisputed heavyweight championship between WBC champion Tyson Fury and Unified Heavyweight Champion Oleksander Usyk that will take place in February in Riyadh.

Mauricio Sulaiman, president of the WBC, recently outlined the stakes involved for Wilder and Joshua.

“We’ve been waiting and pushing and mediating and encouraging everyone to try to make this happen,” he told Sky Sports recently.

“When Wilder was champion there were a couple of occasions where Wilder-Joshua came very close. The WBC left that window without interfering with anything that could get in the way.”

Before that, there is the small matter of Wilder facing current IBF and WBO Intercontinental Champion Joseph Parker, a difficult opponent for anyone on any given night.

Parker, fresh from a knockout victory over Simon Kean at Riyadh’s “Battle of the Baddest” in October, is hoping to extend his winning streak and stake his own claim to the throne.

Meanwhile, standing in Joshua’s way is Otto Wallin, who is ranked nine, and has only lost to Fury.

Wallin and Joshua faced off as amateurs over a decade ago — with the latter winning both in 2010 and 2011. It could be third time’s the charm for Wallin who, since then, may have developed the skill — and the will — to finally overcome Joshua.

Wallin is currently ranked No. 2 in the IBF heavyweight rankings, with rumors of that title becoming vacant next year. Should this happen, Joshua will wish to leapfrog Wallin to face No. 1-ranked Filip Hrgovic for the IBF title.

In Riyadh, Hrgovic will face the Australian Mark De Mori who has only been beaten twice in 45 fights. This fight is crucial for Hrgovic, who needs to keep his No. 1 IBF spot to challenge for the title next year. He has his work cut out for him as De Mori has an almost 90 percent knockout rate.

Daniel Dubois, who lost to Usyk in August, takes on the unbeaten knockout artist Jarrell Miller. Dubois lost the fight against Usyk after a contentious “low blow” ruling saw the Brit lose his momentum against the Ukrainian.

Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov against Germany’s Agit Kabayel could be the sleeper fun fight of the night. Makhmudov, the current WBC-NABF champion, has been steadily climbing the rankings, and will hope to defeat the unbeaten Kabayel, the EBU heavyweight champion.

Rounding out the heavyweights on the card is Frank Sanchez who will take on Junior Fa. This is a crucial bout for Fa, who has lost two of his last three fights. He faces a challenging task ahead in the form of the unbeaten Sanchez, the WBC Continental Americas heavyweight champion.

“In itself it is a natural WBC elimination tournament,” said Sulaiman. “You have Wilder, No. 1 Joshua, you have Parker, you have Otto Wallin, all those are highly ranked in the WBC. After Dec. 23 we’re going to see a different picture in the rankings.”

Looming further on the horizon is one of boxing’s newest and hottest properties: Francis Ngannou. The Cameroonian has catapulted himself into the WBC top 10 by almost beating Fury. A rematch is possible, according to Fury’s promoter Frank Warren.


Sports minister attends competitions on day 14 of Saudi Games 2023

Sports minister attends competitions on day 14 of Saudi Games 2023
Updated 07 December 2023
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Sports minister attends competitions on day 14 of Saudi Games 2023

Sports minister attends competitions on day 14 of Saudi Games 2023
  • He was accompanied on the tour by Prince Fahd bin Jalawi and Princess Delayel bint Nahar, director and deputy director of the games respectively

RIYADH: Saudi sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki toured the Saudi Games complex on Wednesday and attended the tennis, beach volleyball and chess events on day 14 of the competition.

He was accompanied on the tour by Prince Fahd bin Jalawi and Princess Delayel bint Nahar, director and deputy director of the games respectively.

During his visit, Prince Abdulaziz also visited the games’ Fan Zone, the entertainment sector, as well as the Saudi Olympic Academy.

Elsewhere on day 14, medals were awarded in the women’s jujitsu under-60kg category, and in the under-66kg, under-77kg, under-88kg and over-88kg categories in the men’s jujitsu.

In the men's handball competition, Mudhar currently lead Group A with 6 points following their 33-22 victory over Al-Qarah. In Group B, Al-Khaleej continued to assert its dominance after defeating Al-Safa 27-24. Meanwhile, Al-Muheet secured a win against Al-Njoom with a score of 47-19, placing them in third.

After Wednesday’s competition, the deaf futsal competition reached the quarterfinal stages and the youth handball is now at the semifinals.

On Thursday, there are three finals in the MMA competition scheduled, in the men’s basketball final Al-Hilal will face off with old rivals Al-Nassr, while Jeddah United and Al-Asima will compete in the women’s basketball final.


E-visas available for 2023 FIFA Club World Cup ticket holders

E-visas available for 2023 FIFA Club World Cup ticket holders
Updated 06 December 2023
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E-visas available for 2023 FIFA Club World Cup ticket holders

E-visas available for 2023 FIFA Club World Cup ticket holders

Riyadh: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed on Wednesday that electronic visas would be available to ticket holders for the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup in Jeddah.

The move has been made in cooperation with the Ministry of Sport.

“The step aims to facilitate travel procedures to the Kingdom for football fans to attend the 2023 Club World Cup matches, and also aims to provide the best possible experience for fans to visit the Kingdom and support their clubs during the tournament in an enthusiastic atmosphere,” a ministry statement said.

Ticket holders can apply online for an e-visa to attend the tournament’s games.

The Kingdom will host the competition from Dec. 12 to 22, with the participation of Al-Ittihad, the Roshn Saudi League champions for the 2022 to 2023 season.


Arab Cycling Federation delegation in Saudi Arabia for Arab Road Cycling Championship inspection

Arab Cycling Federation delegation in Saudi Arabia for Arab Road Cycling Championship inspection
Updated 04 December 2023
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Arab Cycling Federation delegation in Saudi Arabia for Arab Road Cycling Championship inspection

Arab Cycling Federation delegation in Saudi Arabia for Arab Road Cycling Championship inspection
  • The competition, overseen by the International Cycling Union (UCI), will take place Dec. 15 to 23 in Riyadh

RIYADH: A delegation from the Arab Cycling Federation was in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for an inspection visit ahead of the Arab Road Cycling Championship next month, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The ACF delegation, led by secretary-general Ismail Al-Hosani, met with the president of the Saudi Cycling Federation, vice-president of the Arab Cycling Federation, Abdullah Al-Wathlan.

The visit included inspection tours covering the race routes totaling 730 kilometers.

It also included a tour of the accommodation for teams, technical and arbitration needs, as well as the final preparations and arrangements to welcome the Arab teams.

During the meeting, Al-Wathlan expressed the SCF’s eagerness for further cooperation with ACF to provide the best cycling experience possible for more than 300 cyclists representing 13 countries.

The competition, overseen by the International Cycling Union, will take place Dec. 15 to 23 in Riyadh.