RIYADH, October 5, 2024 – The scene of the sky lit up with colourful lights was visible even from a distance. Two drones were stationed in the air to capture the ceremony’s visuals, while a police squad was patrolling the area. A person riding a camel approached the stage, followed by another individual adorned in traditional attire.
Periodically, dazzling fireworks lit up the sky. Behind the stage, screens showcased the country’s sports history. This was an exhilarating sight at the inauguration ceremony of the Saudi Games 2024.
INCREASED INVESTMENT In the crowd of at Boulevard Riyadh City arena, sports enthusiast Waddah expressed his satisfaction with the Kingdom’s increasing investment in sports
“This program shows that Saudi Arabia is paying special attention to sports. The state is increasing investment to create an excellent sports environment for future generations.”
The opening ceremony was led by Saudi Arabia’s Prince, the sports minister, and the president of the National Olympic and Paralympic Committees, Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal.
“The organization of the third edition of the Saudi Games clearly demonstrates wise leadership and oversight,” Faisal said during the ceremony.
MAKING A STATEMENT Saudi Arabia’s history in global sports does not appear very strong. Although it has been participating in the Olympics since 1972, the country has yet to win a gold medal. There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia has recently been increasing its investment to break this weak presence in world sports, as exemplified by the Saudi Games.
This national sports competition features 53 events, including five para-sports. Although competitions began on Wednesday, the official inauguration took place on Thursday at the Olympic Committee complex in Balaibad City.
Recently, Saudi Arabia has been gaining attention in world sports, particularly through domestic football.
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VISION 2030 The country aims to diversify its economy from oil production into other sectors. For this purpose, Saudi Arabia officially launched Vision 2030 in April 2016. The main objective is to create a prosperous economy, a vibrant society, and to introduce Saudi Arabia as an ambitious nation.
FIFA World Cup in 2034 is definitely one of the goal for this ambitious country.
