Saudi Games a celebration of sports and the Kingdom

The Saudi Games are a unique event bringing together more than 6,000 athletes of all skill levels in a national celebration displaying the very best of Saudi Arabia.

The Games are a moment for the nation to witness the fulfillment of Vision 2030’s promise to create new opportunities and enhance the quality of life for all Saudis, to see our nation’s young people, men and women, empowered and fulfilling their potential, and to provide an occasion for the international sporting community to view the Kingdom’s commitment to sports and our capability to host world-class international multisport events.

The Kingdom has made it a priority to invest in sports and what is being missed by those who are critical of these investments is that their primary purpose is to build a thriving economy and healthier nation, to offer the world another window into Saudi life, to attract more visitors, to support the nation’s growing tourism and, most importantly, to give our own citizens the most up-to-date sporting infrastructure and ecosystem. This will ensure all Saudi athletes and sports enthusiasts are empowered to compete both nationally and internationally.

As Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman confirmed, these investments are bringing change in the Kingdom, impacting real lives and enabling each and every athlete in our nation to transform their years of work and dedication into accomplishments and achievements. They also aim to ensure a tradition of sporting excellence in our country that will both acknowledge today’s competitors and inspire tomorrow’s champions.

Sporting events like the Saudi Games are not just a reflection of the social transformation but also a part of that transformation. The opportunities these sporting events provide for greater social engagement among women and young people, for all Saudis to dream and then accomplish those dreams, for the nation to see all its citizens participating in the nation’s Games — this is social transformation realized.

I can attest to the importance of our investment in sports and what it means to our athletes. I was once one of those Saudi athletes myself. When I first started competing in equestrian showjumping, it was the early days of the sport in Saudi and there were no competitions for women, so a group of riders organized private events that helped open doors for Saudi riders to compete internationally. Now, in alignment with the goals of Vision 2030, we host International Equestrian Federation-sanctioned events in Saudi Arabia for both men and women.

Events like the Saudi Games are not just a reflection of Saudi Arabia’s social transformation but also a part of that transformation

There are similar stories for all types of sports in the Kingdom. This year at the Saudi Games, there will be athletes competing in more than 50 different sports. The Saudi Games will showcase the nation’s best — men and women, youths and seniors, and para-athletes — and the competitions will be diverse, offering something for everyone, from volleyball and track and field to camel racing, along with new sports that many Saudis might be seeing for the first time, such as kitesurfing and robotics.

For two weeks at the end of November and beginning of December, the Saudi Games will take center stage and show the nation the growth and strength of our developing sporting culture. They will remind us of those athletes who have already secured their place in our national annals, as well as those new and unknown faces that will become our next generation of Saudi athletes.

The Saudi Games are a national platform for our athletes to excel and achieve, to push themselves, to challenge their potential, to judge themselves against their fellow countrymen and women, and to better understand what they must do to realize their dreams. Some of those we see will go on to represent our nation internationally.

Sports is an important and evolving part of what it is to be Saudi. We take pride in our athletes and their successes. We see ourselves in our Saudi Olympic athletes, in our Paralympic heroes and in the women of our FIFA-ranked national football team.

But whether or not the athletes at these Saudi Games continue on to higher levels, the moment they step on to the track, pitch or court, they are role models for the nation. Their performances will inspire, encourage and motivate us and their stories will become part of our sporting history and tradition.

At this year’s Saudi Games, we will not only celebrate the winners, but we will also celebrate every participant and, as a nation, we will celebrate ourselves. These Games will show us the best of our nation. They will show us the diverse faces of our transforming nation. They will show us what we can achieve when we commit ourselves, when we set goals, when we work hard and when we support each other.

The Saudi Games are an opportunity to recognize athletes and their accomplishments, but also an opportunity to recognize the profound strides of progress and reform our nation has experienced under Vision 2030 and to envision what incredible accomplishments still lie ahead.

While the Saudi Games are a celebration of sports, they are also a celebration of ourselves, a continuing investment in the transformation of our nation and a commitment to providing opportunities for our young people and building a better future for all Saudis — a commitment we understand as an obligation to our athletes — because these athletes are our neighbors, our family members and our fellow citizens. When they compete, they represent us, but at the same time, they are us. They show each of us what can be achieved and accomplished when we work together and support each other, when we prioritize the potential and ambitions of each Saudi man and woman as our own.

• Princess Delayel bint Nahar Al-Saud was appointed deputy director of the Saudi Games in 2022 and has served as an adviser to the vice president of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee since 2021.