Government | Sunday 21 July, 2019 8:00 am |

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal revealed that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has approved supporting sports clubs with 2.5 billion riyals in the coming season. The President of the Sports Authority said that the Crown Prince assured him that supporting sport will be like the previous and more according to the governance will contribute to the organization of administrative and financial work and the spread of various sports and attract investors and increase career opportunities, and support clubs will be an opportunity to attract the private sector to invest in the sector, On the quality of sports competition.

This came during a press conference today in Jeddah, during which he announced the strategy of supporting sports clubs that are based on the operation and development of these clubs to ensure their sustainability administratively and financially.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said during the conference, which was attended by a number of presidents of sports federations, heads of clubs and a number of players, dignitaries and the media. This strategy will enhance the sports sector in general and invest in it in particular. To distribute 2.5 billion riyals to clubs in accordance with an integrated plan that encourages them to work in accordance with the framework of an effective governance system that contributes to its development on the sports and administrative levels as well as the comprehensive support of 170 clubs according to a specific mechanism. This strategy will contribute to raising the level of irrigation The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in all its forms, to achieve the highest international standards through the diversity and spread of different games in clubs and enhance their level and overall performance.
He held a closed meeting with the heads of clubs prior to the launch of the conference, which briefed them on the current situation of sports clubs, which revealed a large gap between the general results and administrative system, and weak in the level of governance in addition to a large financial deficit. That this strategy aims to avoid the unsustainable sports future of sports clubs, and encourage them to pay attention to various sports to contribute to the development, and make them sports that raise the name of the Kingdom high in international forums.

This strategy provides direct financial support (for all Kingdom clubs) according to the following details:
- The amount of 50 million riyals for each club of professional clubs (16 clubs).
- 80 million riyals divided equally between the clubs of Prince Mohammed bin Salman League for the first class clubs (20 clubs).
- The amount of 36 million riyals divided equally among the clubs of the second class (24 clubs).
- The sum of 55 million riyals divided equally between the clubs of the third degree (110 clubs).
According to the strategy, the 16 clubs of the professional league can receive additional support if they are developed in four main areas: (governance - infrastructure - grassroots - different games). The support mechanism in these axes will be conditional according to the following explanation:
- Each professional league club will receive a sum of SR 20 million if the club meets specific criteria in terms of strategy, leadership, administrative structure, financial management, operational management, responsibility of the stakeholders, compliance, control, control and internal regulations.
- Each professional league club receives SR 10 million for the development of its infrastructure and facilities.
- Each professional league club receives a sum of SR 5 million for organizing events accompanying the matches hosted at the club's stadium.
- Each professional league club receives SR3 million for marketing efforts to increase the club's popularity.
- Each professional league club will receive a sum of SR 1 million per game at home to achieve 50% of the total capacity of the stadium or more than 10,000 spectators for more than 25,000 seats.
With regard to the various games and its support mechanism, SAR 480 million has been allocated to the 170 clubs in the Kingdom to stimulate their efforts in activating the various games, based on their participation and results achieved within a unified points system specifically designed for this purpose.

The financial support will be distributed according to the total number of points earned by the club through its performance in various competitions in all sports, and the next season will be the starting point by choosing 10 different games with a total score of 800 points, including the ten games: volleyball, basketball, handball, Athletics, tennis, taekwondo, karate, table tennis, swimming, and cycling. These ten games were chosen next season according to four criteria: "The General Sport Authority's strategy for elite players, federation competitions, Games, and demand public on these games. "
The unified point system for different games is based on three stages:
First, the clubs meet specific conditions and criteria for entry into the points system, including competition in five games of the ten selected at least and participate in ten games in total, in addition to competition in five games of the ten selected at least in the Sunni groups, and design programs for the development of age groups in 8 of The 10 selected games offer a plan to develop different games for all age groups.
Second: the stage of collecting points, and requires qualified clubs to activate the games and competition and start to collect points during the competitions in different games.
Third: Financial support stage in which financial support is given to clubs according to the number of points achieved.
At the conclusion of the conference, the Authority announced the setting of a workshop on this strategy to be held next Monday 22 July 2019 and will continue until Thursday 25 July 2019 in the presence of representatives of sports federations, while another workshop will be held in the presence of representatives of sports clubs on the first of next August, Professional and scheduled on August 22, 2019 includes the issuance of the guide to this strategy.

It should be noted that the allocation of clubs will raise the contribution of sports in the GDP to 1000% to 0.8% and gradually reach to 3% as the vision of 2030 in addition to the provision of new jobs commensurate with the high level of Saudi sport.