ABSTRACT
Saudi Arabia is a wealthy country, albeit it is one dependent on oil revenue. It is also a country that is in need of transformation – economically, politically and socioculturally. As such, a programme of reforms is being rolled out, of which sport is a crucial part. The Saudi government is allocating billions of dollars to the creation of sports infrastructure, which is intended to position the Kingdom, amongst other things, as a sport event destination. Furthermore, changes in women’s rights, a drive to promote enterprise, and addressing looming health crises are all playing a part in Saudi Arabia’s 21st century focus on sport. Yet change is not without its problems. Indeed, negative preconceptions of the country persist, with accusations in some quarters of systematic sport washing. Furthermore, with most of its wealth dependent on international oil markets, price fluctuations are a major cause for concern. As such, this chapter examines contemporary Saudi Arabian sport, its characteristics and the challenges it faces.
