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Across Saudi Arabia, significant changes have been taking place, and the one that is of huge importance to me as CEO of the Sports Boulevard Foundation is women’s participation in sports. This increased by an impressive 150 percent between 2015 and 2019, and the Kingdom is now home to over 6,000 female athletes. The next step is building the infrastructure required to unlock sports for all Saudi women.
In recent years, Saudi women have competed in national and international tournaments, in sports including football and badminton, with excellent results.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, I am inspired to see Saudi women representing their country on the global playing field. Changes made at a grassroots level, with the introduction of physical education for girls in public schools and licenses for women’s sports clubs, will encourage more Saudi women to get into sports.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, I am inspired to see Saudi women representing their country on the global playing field
Jayne McGivern
I am on a mission to further boost women’s participation in sports by building more infrastructure in Saudi communities that everyone — including women and girls — can enjoy. That’s why I’m delighted to be leading the development of the Sports Boulevard, one of Riyadh’s mega projects launched as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 blueprint.
Stretching across Riyadh, the Sports Boulevard will boast 50 different sports facilities and make the Saudi capital one of the world’s healthiest and most livable cities — a huge milestone for a city where most people travel by car or taxi. It will revolutionize the makeup of the city and encourage residents and visitors alike, male and female, and of all ages and abilities, to take up grassroots sports.
Construction is well underway on the first phase of the Sports Boulevard, and it’s exciting to see the progress that’s being made to bring this ambitious vision to life.
As a female leader of one of this nation’s most amazing projects, I’m passionate about ensuring that women feel empowered to pursue their interests. But women will not be able to enjoy sports without the necessary infrastructure and facilities. Whether it’s cycling, running, water sports, horse riding, skateboarding, or over 50 other sports, the Sports Boulevard will provide everyone with a space to learn new hobbies and enjoy the benefits that a healthy lifestyle can bring.
- Jayne McGivern is the CEO of the Sports Boulevard Foundation