Hattan Alsaif makes history as first Saudi woman to sign with major global MMA promotion/node/2451011/saudi-sport
Hattan Alsaif makes history as first Saudi woman to sign with major global MMA promotion
Muay Thai athlete Hattan Alsaif has become the first Saudi woman to sign an exclusive multi-fight contract with a global mixed martial arts promotion. (Supplied)
Hattan Alsaif makes history as first Saudi woman to sign with major global MMA promotion
‘Receiving a contract from the PFL is a dream come true,’ says fighter
‘I do not take the responsibility lightly, and I am committed to representing my country,’ she adds
Updated 30 January 2024
Arab News
NEW YORK, US: Muay Thai athlete Hattan Alsaif has become the first Saudi woman to sign an exclusive multi-fight contract with a global mixed martial arts promotion.
The Professional Fighters League announced the historic signing of Alsaif in a media statement.
The 22-year-old, a gold medal winner at the 2023 International Federation of Muay Thai Associations World Championships, said: “Receiving a contract from the PFL is a dream come true.”
Alsaif, who took first place at the World Combat Games and at the Saudi Games, anticipates making her amateur MMA debut for the PFL this year.
She added: “As the first Saudi woman signed to a global MMA contract I do not take the responsibility lightly, and I am committed to representing my country.
“I hope to pave the way for aspiring female fighters. I am thankful to God and the PFL for this incredible opportunity.”
Ray Sefo, president of fighter operations at the PFL, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Alsaif, a truly groundbreaking athlete, to the PFL.
“In collaboration with our partner, SRJ Sports, PFL is dedicated to discovering exceptional fighters like Alsaif and championing the cause of women in MMA in the region. Our goal is to provide them with a global platform to showcase their skill sets.”
Alsaif will train predominantly with Abdullah Al-Qahtani. Her signing bolsters a roster that will have opportunities to compete in PFL MENA (Middle East and North Africa), the PFL’s second regional league outside the US.
The PFL is the only organization in MMA with a sports-season format, in which individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year.
Al-Ittihad back on top as club mark 97 years of glory
Saudi Arabia’s oldest club head the Saudi Pro League table as they celebrate 97th birthday
Updated 02 January 2025
Ali Khaled and John Duerden
DUBAI/LONDON: It is fitting that as Al-Ittihad celebrate their 97th anniversary this month, the Jeddah giants are sitting on top of the Saudi Pro League.
The past is impressive. The club was founded on Jan. 4, 1927, and is one of the oldest in Asia. Not only that, but Al-Ittihad are set to join the Club of Pioneers, a global network of historic teams headed by Sheffield FC, the oldest football club in the world that was set up in 1857.
“We are very proud to be the first Arabic country to join the Club of Pioneers on our 97th year anniversary and celebrating our great achievements as the first Saudi Football club. And we look forward to our 100 years and beyond,” Dania Al-Maeena, CEO of Al-Ittihad’s nonprofit organization, told Arab News.
Now they join the likes of Wrexham of Wales, Genoa of Italy and Royal Antwerp of Belgium to become the 32nd member.
The first silverware came all the way back in 1958 with the King’s Cup and Crown Prince’s Cup, starting to fill a trophy cabinet that has become much more packed over the decades.
Fans had to wait until 1982 to celebrate a league championship. Eight more have followed. The most recent came in 2023 when Al-Ittihad were very impressive on their way to lift the title once more and for the first time since 2009.
Any club with such domestic success want to challenge internationally, and the team in yellow and black have done just that. In 1999, fans celebrated the Asian Cup Winners Cup. The big prize, however, was always the AFC Champions League and in that competition, Ittihad have made history.
In 2004, the Red Sea club lost the first leg of the final at home, 3-1 to South Korea’s Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma. Heading into the return game, nobody gave the Saudi Arabians a chance. Yet, in perhaps the most stunning result in the history of Asian club football, Al-Ittihad shocked an expectant home crowd and the continent, by winning 5-0 to take the trophy.
If that was impressive, then so was the following year, as the club were head and shoulders above the rest. In those days, the defending champions joined the competition at the quarterfinal stage.
There was an 8-3 aggregate win over China’s Shandong Luneng and then a 7-0 thrashing of South Korea’s Busan I’Park in the semifinal. The final against 2003 champions Al-Ain of the UAE was a tougher task, but it ended in a 5-3 win over two legs. No team had previously successfully defended the Asian Champions League title.
At the time, the rest of the continent feared a dynasty being established. That did not happen but Al-Ittihad are one of Asia’s biggest and most popular clubs. Joining 50,000 fans at the King Abdullah Sports City is an unforgettable football experience.
None of this is to say that the best days are in the past. As the club enter their 97th year in existence, they are in a very healthy state indeed.
In 2023, the club ended a 14-year wait for a Saudi Pro League title, and though last season did not see a repeat performance, French coach Laurent Blanc has settled extremely well since joining in July.
He has stars including Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho and Moussa Diaby at his disposal. There is also impressive domestic talent in the form of Saleh Al-Shehri, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Hassan Kadesh and many others.
The future is looking bright. After ending 2024 with nine successive league wins, they are two points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League. There is still a long way to go but Al-Ittihad are fit for the journey.
Serie A champions Inter Milan take on Atalanta and AC Milan tackle Juventus in bid to make Sunday’s final
Updated 02 January 2025
Khaled Alarafah
RIYADH: The 37th edition of the Italian Super Cup kicks off here today with Serie A champions Inter Milan taking on Atalanta, the Coppa Italia runner-up.
Hosted by Saudi Arabia for the fifth time, the tournament takes place at Al-Awwal Park Stadium until Jan. 6. The Ministry of Sports is the organizer of the event.
AC Milan, second in the Serie A last year, take on Juventus, the Coppa Italia champions on Friday, with the final on Sunday.
The event aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life program and the country’s plan to continue hosting major global sporting events.
It reflects the Ministry of Sports’ commitment to achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Twisted Minds take crown in first ESL Saudi Challenge
Group wins grand prize from a $20,000 prize pool
Updated 10 December 2024
Sulafa Alkhunaizi
RIYADH: Saudi esports team Twisted Minds claimed victory against Dragons during the first ESL Saudi Challenge Grand Final, scooping the lion’s share of the tournament’s $20,000 prize pool.
They become the first team to hold the title of ESL Saudi Champions in the region’s first ESL competition dedicated exclusively to the Saudi Arabian gaming community.
In the semifinals, Dragons triumphed in a hard-fought best-of-five series to win 3-2, while Twisted Minds delivered a commanding performance with an unbeaten 4-0 sweep in a best-of-seven match. The finals featured Overwatch 2, an online, multiplayer, first-person shooter video game.
Twisted Minds member Ibrahim Al-Ali told Arab News his team’s key to a successful gameplan was practice.
“We do the basic stuff. We just practice before every tournament and keep practicing along the year … A typical day of practice for a professional player usually is basic practice in game (which is) two hours of practice with each team, (up to) four to six hours a day.”
Al-Ali has been playing Overwatch for nine years. His favorite character is “Widowmaker,” one of the game’s most popular heroes who is known for her powerful sniper rifle.
Founded in 2021, Twisted Minds is known for impressive gameplay and consistent performance. The team competes in Rocket League, EA Sports FC and PUBG and recently won the PUBG Global Series 6, after claiming victory in both Series 4 and 5.
Saudi Arabia boasts one of the region’s fastest-growing gaming sectors which is playing a pivotal role in the Kingdom’s transformation.
FACEIT is the digital platform offering of ESL FACEIT Group, a gaming and esports company procured for $1.5 billion in 2022 by Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group, which is 100 percent owned by the country’s public investment fund.
Kevin Paul’s ‘ripple-effect’ mission to help transform Saudi Arabia’s sports culture
Paralympic swimming legend explains how making sports accessible will benefit future generations in the Kingdom
Updated 09 December 2024
Aisha Fareed
RIYADH: Kevin Paul, a decorated Paralympic swimmer from South Africa, is not only passionate about his athletic achievements but also deeply committed to shaping the future of youth sports in Saudi Arabia.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Paul shared his vision for sports education in the Kingdom, the role of his organization Nujoom, and how the growing scene in Saudi Arabia is creating opportunities for the next generation.
Born and raised in South Africa, where sport is a significant part of life, Paul has always viewed athletics as a powerful tool for personal growth. “Sport has always been an outlet for me,” he said.
“It’s always been an opportunity, and it’s always given me so much to be able to fall back on — whether it’s in business, relationships, or friendships. Every major milestone in my life has been linked to sport.”
As a Paralympic athlete, Paul understands the resilience and determination needed to overcome challenges.
Kevin Paul has won a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. supplied
After winning a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and then retiring from competitive swimming, Paul found himself at a crossroads — to either embark on a legal career he had studied for or pursue his passion for sport.
He chose the latter, moving to Dubai and eventually seeing the potential for sports education in Saudi Arabia, especially with the launch of Vision 2030.
“I feel that when the opportunity came for me to be able to do that in Saudi, I wanted to grab it as soon as possible,” Paul said, adding that the Kingdom has so much potential, and he wants to be a part of the future here.
One of the main vehicles for Paul’s mission in Saudi Arabia is Nujoom, a sports education organization he co-founded with Abdullah Alireza, a top Saudi professional triathlete.
They aim to bring high-quality, accessible opportunities to the Kingdom, aligning their efforts with Vision 2030’s focus on sports development.
“If you look at it from the Nujoom side of things, we want to be able to provide accessibility and provide our opportunity for sport to all,” Paul said. “It’s that little ripple effect, if you make that one change now, it’s just going to have an impact for generations to come.”
With Saudi Arabia investing heavily in high-end sports events and infrastructure, Paul highlights the critical importance of grassroots initiatives.
Grassroots sports are just as crucial as the big events in football and boxing, he explained. “If we can inspire parents to fall in love with sports, their kids will naturally benefit from that.”
For Paul, the most exciting aspect of Saudi Arabia’s sports transformation is the drive and determination he sees in the people, which he likens to his home country of South Africa.
“People here are very determined and resilient. They go after what they want,” he said. “If you’re looking back five or 10 years ago, maybe these goals didn’t exist because the opportunities weren’t there.
“But now the kid playing football in the park behind the house, he believes he can be the next (Cristiano) Ronaldo,” he added.
Paul also celebrates the transformation in Saudi Arabia for women and girls, emphasizing that inclusivity is key to the country’s growing sports landscape.
“That’s just going to pave the pathway for whatever kids want to do moving forward,” he said. Participation in physical activities help teach children life lessons such as resilience, goal-setting and teamwork that they can apply to every aspect of their lives, he added.
The paralympic athlete’s love for swimming led him to create one of the Kingdom’s most exciting sports initiatives, a mixed open-water swim group.
When he moved to Jeddah, he thought “there must be other people who have that same love for swimming as I do. Let’s start an open-water swim club like you have run clubs and cycle clubs.”
The club has now grown to 75 members, coming from diverse backgrounds and sharing a love for the water. “It’s a lot more than just swimming in the ocean,” Paul said.
“We’re breaking boundaries, making friends, and creating a healthy, active community. It’s the ripple effect — start with one change, and it grows into something much bigger."
The group meets every Saturday for open-water swims followed by coffee, fostering a sense of community. People will meet others from different walks of life, and it is not just about fitness, but also connecting with others who share a passion.
Kevin Paul has always viewed athletics as a powerful tool for personal growth. supplied
As a Paralympic athlete, Paul is particularly sensitive to the challenges faced by youth with disabilities in pursuing sports. He believes that education and structured programs are essential to ensuring these athletes receive the support they need to succeed.
He said one of the biggest challenges for youth with disabilities in Saudi Arabia when it comes to pursuing sports is ensuring that both youth and coaches understand what it takes to become the best.
Paul stresses the importance of making sure coaches have the necessary qualifications and experience to guide young athletes effectively. Private sector organizations like Nujoom can play a significant role in providing top-tier coaching, but high-level programs are needed.
He said Nujoom focuses on four key pillars: fun, learning, structured curriculum, and qualified coaches.
Paul said children need to have a clear learning pathway, and to progress at their own pace, whether they are doing so for recreation or preparing for the Paralympics.
He shared a powerful lesson from his experience at the 2012 London Paralympic Games, where he played a game of Jenga with a teammate Hendri Herbst, who is visually impaired.
“Hendri taught me that he didn’t want sympathy; he just wanted equal respect and opportunity,” Paul recalled. The biggest lesson he took away from that was to make the most of a situation, work toward goals, and ask people for help.
Paul and the team at Nujoom want to ensure that in 10 to 15 years the top athletes will be homegrown. “All the posters on the walls of kids’ rooms should be of Saudi born-and-bred athletes moving forward.”
Peace and Sport honors Saudi Arabia’s sports sector
Updated 04 December 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s sports sector has received the prestigious Peace and Sport Award for its contribution to promoting the role of sport in fostering worldwide peace.
The recognition also highlights the Kingdom’s efforts in implementing a number of sports initiatives, including hosting elite international events.
The award was presented during the 14th International Peace and Sport Forum, held in Monaco under the patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco. The forum was attended by Prince Fahad bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, vice president of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
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He accepted the award on behalf of Minister of Sports and SOPC President Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, who in a speech read on his behalf, said: “I begin this occasion by expressing my profound gratitude and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud — from them, we draw inspiration and unwavering belief in supporting global efforts to promote peace, development, and prosperity across the world.”
He said Saudi Arabia was a global leader in fostering coexistence through sports, which served as a noble and effective tool for peaceful communication among the world’s peoples. He also expressed his gratitude to Prince Albert and the Peace and Sport organization team, led by World Olympians Association President Joel Bouzou, for their efforts in spotlighting the organization’s programs and initiatives.
