Saudi Arabia’s Ambitious Vision for Para-Sports Development
April 16, 2024
In this week’s View From Middle East piece Patrick Raupach, Partner and Head of Public Sector at Portas Consulting, explores Saudi’s ambitious vision for para-sports development.
Saudi Arabia is embarking on an ambitious journey to develop and promote para-sports, aiming to create a thriving and dynamic para-sports ecosystem that serves as a model of inclusivity and excellence. This is not an easy task to build something that has taken other countries decades to achieve.
The government’s commitment to this vision is evident through initiatives such as Saudi Vision 2030, the Quality of Life Program, and the Fakher Program, which prioritize the well-being of individuals and families and promote healthy living through sports, making sports inclusive for all.
Despite the progress made, there are challenges that impact the growth of para-sports in Saudi Arabia, including a small pool of athletes, limited facilities, and a shortage of specialized workforce. However, the as their vision lays out, the country aims to become a regional leader in high performance and mass participation, with a Saudi Paralympic team consistently ranking among the top medal winners in regional competitions and bringing home multiple medals from the Paralympics.
To achieve this vision, Saudi Arabia needs to enhance the current understanding, recognition, and education surrounding para-sports, both among people with disabilities and the wider public, to raise awareness of the sporting opportunities available and increase recognition of para-sports.
The country also plans to prioritize initiatives that break down existing barriers in para-sports for long-term, sustainable growth, including creating distinct roles and responsibilities for key para-sports stakeholders, setting up formal communication channels, and ensuring every stakeholder has a tangible, action-oriented plan for developing their portion of Saudi para-sports.
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia needs to continue to invest in providing accessible, para-sport-friendly infrastructure throughout the kingdom and develop a visionary national philosophy for para-sports, guided by the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC). The country also aims to ensure federations are given ample support and are incentivized to develop para-sports within their own disciplines, with initiatives such as creating a para-sports coaching accreditation, establishing a para-sport development fund, and developing a para-sports school program to ensure children with disabilities have access to participation opportunities.
In a key and highly positive move, the merger of the Saudi Olympic Committee and the Saudi Paralympic Committee into the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) highlights the commitment to equality between athletes with disabilities and able-bodied athletes. Saudi Arabia has medalled in every edition of the Paralympics since 2008, accumulating 1 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze medals, showcasing the country’s achievements in para-sports.
With a clear vision and strategic initiatives in place, Saudi Arabia is poised to become a leader in para-sports, setting an example of a connected, innovative, and inclusive para-sports ecosystem that sparks inspiration for all. It needs to continue to embrace the initiatives in place and ensure para sport has a place across its whole society.