FOR years and years while visiting relatives on the third day of the Eid holiday, my father always stopped where he used to play football at Al-Ittihad club and greeted the club members. It was a tradition for the club to open its doors and welcome their fans on that day. I remained seated in the car, however, waiting for my father since women were not allowed to visit football clubs. Only men may do that. Year after year I looked forward to the day when I could visit the club and its museum. What I did not realize was that that day was near. Because I am a journalist I was granted permission to visit. At 10 am, for the first time when my father stopped the car, I did not need to wait for him, I joined him, overwhelmed of course.
When we entered, three large plaques on the wall caught our eyes; they featured golden stars with the names of members and players who had brought victory and honor to the club since it was established in 1929. The club founders spent a long time considering colors before they finally decided the well-known black and yellow. Yellow was chosen because it is the color of gold and the players were the club’s gold; black, it was felt, stood for toughness and determination. The name Ittihad itself means “unity,” and the founders believed in the power of unity and how it had held them and the fans together for many years. Ittihad club is now the oldest and the most popular, especially in the Western region. Tours of the club are not available to the public but special arrangements can be made with the club for important visitors. We were, however, escorted around and saw the museum and then the club’s halls, rooms, clinic and media center.
“Mansour Al-Balawi, president of Ittihad since 2004 believed there was a need to establish a museum in order to hold and save more than 70 years of memories. Thus the museum was established and divided into different sections, displaying all the victories delivered in various sports,” explained the administrator. Some of the sports represented include table tennis and fencing — in one season many years ago, the club took 20 victories out of 24 competitions. There are basketball cups and also victories marked in water sports, judo, and handball.
Football of course is the best known and the best represented. In fact, the number of football cups, trophies and medals will not fit into the museum. Some are displayed in other rooms while some are simply stored for safekeeping. Among the hidden treasures is the football cup Ittihad won 8-2 against their rivals Al-Ahli forty years ago but the fans still remember. Another valued trophy is the oldest cup, which was a gift from the late Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal in 1935.
Peering closely at one of the four large pictures on display, I stopped for a minute while the administrator explained that the person in the picture was one of the club’s early players. It was my father! Sadly no names were under his picture or under any of the others — and it was hard to recognize faces we knew. When I scolded the guide because there were no names, he smiled and apologized and said they were working on getting the names. What kept them from doing so, he said, was that many in the pictures were old or dead and the club did not want to misidentify anyone in the pictures.
The museum alone is not the most interesting; the club itself is a veritable museum worthy of exploration. Each part of it is designed in a creative, flexible and comfortable way for the athletes, administrators and visitors who spend time there. Al-Balawi, the guide noted, had focused much of his attention on creating a relaxing and encouraging atmosphere for the players, especially those who live in the club. Hence rooms are decorated with motivating signs and photos of old victories. Because players try to give their best, the guide assured us that the club tries to give them whatever they need — Internet, TV, clean bathrooms, massage rooms, a kitchen, a cafeteria and a spacious living room. For recreation there is squash, table tennis and lawn tennis as well. The guide commented, “If you notice in this section, the beds are a bit longer because these are the rooms for basketball players.” In addition to the rest and relaxation, the club has its own clinic named after the late Hassan Jamjoom, a former Ittihad president who devoted his time and attention to the health of the athletes. The clinic naturally has its doctors who are specialists in the problems of young athletes. In the basketball court, the guide told us that it is also used for volleyball, judo, fencing, handball, and gymnastics. The court is also used to hold celebrations and is sometimes open for fans who want to watch an important match on large TV screens; the court can hold up to 600 people.
As far as stadiums are concerned, the guide said, “Of course we searched for the best location and the best land,” he said. Ittihad club has one official stadium, which conforms to FIFA rules and regulations; their team matches and official functions are held there. In addition, there is a second stadium for training and both undergo daily maintenance.
Though much treasure and history is on display, there is much that is hidden. Some of what is hidden can only be learned from the older generation and long-time fans who have followed the club and its activities for decades. Thanks to the continued achievements of the club’s athletes who have kept the name of Ittihad before the public, it is one of the top four teams in Saudi Arabia and has been awarded the Gulf, Asian and World championships in various sports several times. The last international impressive success was as champion of the 2007 Saudi Premier League, and becoming an honorary member of the top 100 best teams in the world in October, according to the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).
