RIYADH: The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) appointed officials and presented awards on the occasion of its 26th General Assembly at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex in Riyadh.
The event was chaired by President Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, and in attendance were SOPC Vice President Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, and Saudi sports federation presidents, board members, and officials.
The assembly approved the appointment of Yasser bin Saad Al-Otaibi as Chairman of the Audit and Internal Audit Committee and the membership of Adwaa bint Abdul Rahman Al-Arifi, and Moath bin Muhammad Al-Salami.
The assembly reviewed several reports, among them the report of the inaugural of 1st Saudi Games, the report on the strategy to support and develop sports federations, the Saudi Olympic Training Center, the Saudi Olympic Academy, and the report of the Athletes Committee, with the adoption of a draft amendment to the statutes of the Saudi Sports Arbitration Center.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki also honored several personalities and organizations that had contributed to Saudi sports during the year.
Former President of the Saudi Football Association Ahmed Bin Eid Al-Harbi was honored for his services to Saudi sport.
NEOM was honored for winning the 2029 Asian Winter Games hosting rights.
The Saudi Equestrian Federation received the award for the best sports federation.
The women’s sports award went to Lamia Al-Bahyan in recognition of her role in developing women’s sports and activating the women’s football league.
Saudi karate athlete Sanad Sufyani and rally driver Yazid Al-Rajhi were both honored.
Donia Abu Talib, a Saudi taekwondo team player, won the best female athlete award while her coach Corbin Boukadaf was also honored.
Monika Staab was honored for managing the Saudi women’s football team.
The award for the best paralympic athlete went to runner Abdul Rahman Al-Qurashi for his achievement in the West Asian Paralympic Games in Bahrain, where he won three gold medals at 100m, 200m, and 400m.
The award for the best paralympic female athlete went to Lujain Al-Thaqafi for achieving the gold medal in the boccia competition at the West Asian Games in Bahrain.
Saudi fencer Hussein Al-Taweel won the promising athlete award for achieving the gold medal in the Asian Junior Fencing Championship.
The award for the most promising female Muay Thai athlete went to Hattan Al-Saif for achieving third place and the bronze medal in the World Muay Thai Championship.
Paralympic athlete Adnan Nour Saeed was honored for achieving four gold medals in the Asian and Oceania Weightlifting Championships.
The Riyadh Marathon, in which more than 10,000 participants participated, won the best sporting event for 2022.
Alongside the assembly meeting, the President of the Saudi Weightlifting Federation, Muhammad Al-Harbi, and the President of the International Weightlifting Federation, Muhammad Al-Jaloud Al-Shammari, signed the contract to host the World Weightlifting Championship, which will be held next September in Riyadh.