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After the announcement of the Dakar rally in Saudi Arabia in January, the kingdom will also organize the first edition of the Saudi Tour, a five-stage professional cycling race. With the "Vision 2030" plan, Saudi Arabia wants to become a source of influence through sport.
Like other countries in the world, Saudi Arabia also uses sport as a lever of communication. After formalizing the arrival of the Dakar Rally for five editions from January 2020, Saudi Arabia will host a new professional cycling race. The first edition of the Saudi Tour will take place from February 4th to 8th. As for the Dakar rally, it is the French company Amaury Sport Organization which will take care of the event.
Invest in the organization of sporting events
" It is an honor for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Cycling Federation to host an international sports event of this magnitude. The Saudi Tour is a great opportunity to showcase the variety of territories, the historical sites of the country and our sense of hospitality, "said Sabah Al-Kraidees, president of the Saudi Cycling Federation, in a statement. As a reminder, Qatar, neighboring enemy country, had organized its national cycling tour between 2002 and 2016. In June 2017, Saudi Arabia had severed diplomatic relations with Doha and closed its border with the emirate.
Saudi Arabia has decided to invest in organizing sports events in 2016. A decision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called "Vision 2030". What first to counter the influence of Qatar, which will organize the World Cup in 2022. The kingdom also pursues its goal of diversification in the economy.
Use sport for political reasons
According to James Dorsey, a researcher at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore and interviewed by the French daily La Croix , " all these initiatives are aimed at increasing Saudi influence ". " They use sport for political reasons, and it has increased in recent years, " he adds.
Yet until 2012, at the London Olympics, no woman represented this Gulf state. Judoist Wojdan Shaherkani and athlete Sarah Attar were the first Saudi women in history to compete in the Olympics. Then, the country multiplied the initiatives like the opening of the football stadiums to the women.
In 2016, the Ministry of Education decided to introduce school-based sport for girls. In October 2017, the Saudi government handed over the presidency of the Saudi Federation of Community Sport to a woman, Rima bent Bandar bin Sultan. An omnisports federation that aims to encourage the practice of sports, both for men and women.
The murder of Jamal Khashoggi did not change anything
The October 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, planned and perpetrated by a team of agents from Riyadh, according to Turkey, clearly does not prevent Saudi Arabia from continuing to attract sporting events and foreign partners. Example: Brazil will face Argentina in a friendly "superclasico" at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on November 15th. Another example: after Qatar, Italy chose Riyadh to host its "Supercoppa" in 2018.
According to the agency Business France, which will accompany a delegation of companies in February 2020, Saudi Arabia plans to invest $ 64 billion in the entertainment industry, including sports. The country plans to build four new football stadiums for the country's four major clubs: Al Hilal (Riyadh), Al Nasr (Riyadh), Al Ittihad (Jeddah) and Al Ahli (Jeddah). Speakers that should have a capacity of about 40,000 viewers and meet international standards.
Last September, Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was welcomed by the President of the Saudi National Olympic Committee, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al Saud. He was able to visit several new sports facilities. In addition, the NOC Executive Council presented the plan for the modernization of Saudi sport as part of "Vision 2030". " I am very happy to see that sport, whether mass or elite, is developing in Arabia, " said President Bach.