JEDDAH, 3 August 2005 — Sports during the era of King Fahd was one of the many sectors to benefit from the government’s modernization thrust. It was during this time that the Kingdom made big strides not only in the national but international arena as well.
Thanks to the visionary leadership of King Fahd, the government of Saudi Arabia made sports one of its top priorities. Keen to direct the energy of the youth in the right track and respond to their needs, the government implemented programs and established sport institutions.
The idea to establish the General Presidency of Youth Welfare dates back to 1945 when football started to become a popular sport in the Kingdom. The Youth Welfare was part of the Ministry of Education as a department to look after all sports activities in schools.
In 1974 a ministerial decision was issued to make the general administration of Youth Welfare an independent department. It was connected to the higher authority of Youth Welfare, which was headed by King Fahd. Its main responsibility was to plan sports policy and make the youth invest their free time in sports.
The Saudi Youth Welfare is mandated to provide all the services to youths everywhere in the Kingdom that is why branch offices were set up in many areas of the country and later 12 sports cities were built.
It was during the era of King Fahd that Saudi sports reached its peak. King Fahd’s support of sports was well known. Saudi Arabia began to gain international recognition after winning the Asian Cup in 1984 in Singapore.
The national football team also qualified for the Olympics in Los Angeles in the same year.
Although football became hugely popular there are other sports where the Kingdom excelled, and in fact, the country’s first ever Olympic medals were realized in athletics and equestrian.
Hurdler Hadi Souan won the silver medal in the 400 meter hurdles in the 2002 Sydney Olympics, a historic feat that was matched by Khalid Al-Eid when he clinched the show jumping bronze medal during the same Games.
Saudi Arabia continued to score Asian Cup successes in 1988 in Doha and in 1996 in UAE.
The Kingdom reached the World Cup finals four times in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006, to be hosted by Germany next summer. They are the only Arab team to have made such a great achievement.
On the Gulf level, Saudi Arabia won the Gulf Cup three times in 1996, 2003 and 2004. Not to be forgotten was the 1989 victory in the World Youth Cup.
Just a few months back, Saudi Arabia showed the world its capability to host one of the biggest sporting events, the Islamic Solidarity Games.
The games took place in four cities of Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah and Taif. It was the one last event that King Fahd wanted to succeed and to bring the Islamic world together in friendly competitions.
The Confederations Cup, recognized by FIFA, was another contribution by the Kingdom in world sport. A brainchild of the late Prince Faisal ibn Fahd, the first Confederations Cup for King Fahd Trophy was staged in 1992 in Riyadh and won by Argentina.
All of Saudi sports were in mourning and grieving over the loss of their great friend and supporter King Fahd. Many friendly games for the Saudi national soccer team were canceled and their training in Malaysia in preparation for the final game in World Cup qualifying match against South Korea, had been suspended. Sports clubs were to close for three days.
Muhammad Mufti, president of the volleyball association said that the Islamic world had lost an important figure. He said that he never stopped supporting Saudi sport activities.
Muhammad Al-Matrood, president of the Saudi Handball Association, said that the death of King Fahd was a shocking news to many people.
He said, “We offer condolences to the whole Islamic world because the world lost a generous king who never stopped helping people and caring for those in need. He will be forever missed.”
