Talk of Saudi Arabia bidding to host the 2036 Summer Olympics is a bit premature, with the country’s Olympic committee currently focused on performing well in Paris in July and August. Abdulaziz Albakos, head of media, told Reuters.
The oil-rich kingdom has emerged as a major player in global sport in recent years thanks to spectacular investments, gaining top positions in soccer, golf, motor racing and other high-profile sports. Did. However, from an Olympic perspective, Saudi Arabia remains a minor player, having won two silver and two bronze medals in 12 Summer Games, placing it between Peru and Syria in terms of all-time medal totals.
The 33-member squad that competed in Tokyo three years ago was the largest delegation ever sent to the Summer Games, and thanks to Tareg Hamedi’s karate silver medal, they did not go home empty-handed. Karate will not be featured at the Paris Games, and Albacos, head of corporate communications and international relations at the Saudi Olympic Committee, said the country would be keeping a close eye on show jumping for medals.
“This is the first time since the London Olympics that Saudi equestrian athletes have participated,” Albacos told Reuters. “We previously won a team bronze medal in 2012 and an individual bronze medal in 2000, but missed out on the Rio and Tokyo Olympics. Now we’re back.”
Horses have been an essential part of life on the Arabian Peninsula for thousands of years, but Saudi Arabia’s equestrian success has been built, at least in part, on its economic strength. A reported budget of $500 million ensured Britain’s prized horses for the 2012 Olympic campaign, thanks to which Ramzi Al Duhami, Abdullah Al Saud, Kamal Bahamdan and Abdullah Sharbatly were at fault. I was able to place 3rd place in the show jumping final.
For Paris, top British mare Equine America Space Cake was sold to the Saudi Equestrian Federation at the end of 2022, helping the country qualify with Khalid Almobuti in the saddle. “This was the result of a special equestrian project to return to the Olympics,” Albacos said.
In addition to Almobuti and teammates Ramzi Al-Duhami, Abdullah Sharbatly and Abdul Rahman Al-Razi, another Saudi athlete has already qualified for Paris. Twelve years after threats of expulsion persuaded Saudi Arabia to include women in its London Games team, taekwondo athlete Donia Abu Talib qualified for the Olympics rather than earning a spot She became the first woman from the country to do so.
“That’s what sets our delegation apart at the Paris Olympics,” Albacos said. “Donia is a good athlete…may God bless her success. The athletes are expected to qualify in track and field, but still have qualifications left in judo and table tennis. .”
With Saudi Arabia almost certainly hosting the 2027 Asian Cup, the 2034 Soccer World Cup, and the 2034 Asian Games, talk of a Saudi bid for the next Summer Olympics in 2036 is almost inevitable. “Of course, Saudi Arabia is always keen to host important international events, but it is too early to talk about the Olympics,” Albakos said.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
