By Anas Alyusuf

Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Sports is considered as one of the major components of a vibrant society and is one of the most popular means of entertainment. The Ministry of Sports has worked out several programs to expand the base of sports practitioners on a regular basis in the Kingdom, in order to limit the spread of chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.

One of the ministry’s remarkable achievements is the development of the “Sport for All” mobile application, which serves all segments of the society, by displaying all sports events available in the designated areas of the people concerned, and the users can register so as to participate in them.

These sports initiatives target professionals and non-professionals, in addition to creating jobs and volunteer opportunities for Saudis in the sports field.

The Quality of Life program, one of the Vision 2030 programs, pays great attention to the sports aspect, as it has positive impacts on citizens and expatriates in Saudi Arabia through improving their physical and psychological health by participating in sports activities, in addition to hosting sporting events.

On the occasion to mark five years since the launch of the Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has succeeded, through a number of government agencies, in activating a number of objectives of the Quality of Life program on its major entertainment area of sports.

This is in light of the great and unlimited support of the Saudi leadership, and the continuous follow-up from Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman.

Hosting various sporting events comes on top of the most important goals that have been achieved in a short period of time, until Saudi Arabia has become a compass for athletes around the world to participate in events being held in the Kingdom.

The Quality of Life program on the sports side provides the highest level of quality of life for all people in the Kingdom by providing them options to enjoy a vibrant lifestyle.

The program is working to establish and host international sporting events through the great and unlimited support of the relevant authorities from the Ministry of Sports, Saudi Arabian General Sports Authority, and the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, in addition to the sports federations under its banner.

In a short period of time, Saudi Arabia was able to host major international events. It succeeded in hosting the Italian Super Cup in the 2018 and 2019 editions in Jeddah and Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia hosted the Spanish Super Cup after an agreement between the Ministry of Sports and the Spanish Sports Federation to establish it in Saudi Arabia for a period of three years, which began in 2019. Both Italian and Spanish Super Cups had to cancel last year due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

Saudi Arabia hosted the Super Classico, which included the oldest teams in the world — Brazil and Argentina — in addition to Saudi Arabia and the Iraq team in the 2018 tournament in Jeddah and Riyadh, as well as an international friendly match between the two traditional rivals Argentina and Brazil in 2019 in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia has won recently its historic bid to host the Asian Games 2034, and it is currently competing, in a fierce race to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, with a number of countries. The final decision will be announced in June.

Saudi Arabia’s global reputation rose with an increase in the number of spectators of sporting events domestically. The Kingdom hosted the Dakar Rally, which is the most important tournament in motorsport, in addition to the Formula E championship that it hosted for several seasons.

The city of Jeddah is currently preparing to host the Formula 1 championship. Hosting Saudi Formula 1 is one of the largest events that will be organized in the Kingdom by the Ministry of Sports, the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, in addition to the Quality of Life program.

The Jeddah Corniche will be the starting and ending point of the race, which extends over the coast of the Red Sea.

The race will feature many accompanying events, including motor sports and recreational and cultural activities that reflect the leadership’s interest in the sports sector and community sports, as well as its ability to keep pace with global events and stimulating the passion of the Kingdom and its athletes in sporting events.

Saudi Arabia also succeeded in hosting the historic Diriyah boxing match in Riyadh, in addition to hosting the WWE Super Showdown Wrestling Championship that was held in Jeddah before a large audience, and the IHF World Club Handball Championship titled Super Globe that was held in Dammam.

The Saudi Equestrian Cup Festival, which is the most expensive horse race in the world, was held in Saudi Arabia, in addition to the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival.

This hosting comes after a series of successes in hosting international events in various sports, in light of the unlimited support that the sports sector enjoys from the Crown Prince, and in line with the plans and goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

It also enhance the values and position of the Kingdom regionally and globally, and its ability to host these major global events, to create a vibrant society with the highest standards of quality of life.

The Quality of Life program was able to increase spaces for practitioners of sports activities in various fields by establishing ideal public places for practicing sports, in addition to the activities organized by the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Sports for All Federation, which succeeded in achieving the desired goal.

The holding of the “Schools League” is a translation of what the Saudi Vision 2030 targets through the Quality of Life program, which aims to improve the school environment and train physical education teachers on new knowledge and skills.

The Schools League has succeeded in creating a large base of sports talents and creating an ideal incentive among school students in the competition.