QUALITY OF SPORTS MANAGEMENT IN SAUDI ARABIA

In Saudi Arabia, both traditional and modern sports are popular. The facilities required for them are based on the population of the area and the level of participation. There are a few world-class sportspersons in Saudi Arabia and they have won in some competitions. The Saudi sports activities are administered and controlled by the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW) established in 1974. There are also active programmes to develop sports in educational institutions. Against the above background, the following question assumes relevance: What are the various issues, factors, and challenges of sports management in Saudi Arabia, and how they can be addressed? This review tries to answer this research question through a systematic review. There are obstacles and challenges also. The main obstacle related to the Islamic cultural and social restrictions, especially not permitting women to participate in sports and physical activities. Positive attitudes of male and female university students are affected by the lack of facilities, opportunities, and programmes. Effective interventions by adequate security mechanisms and agencies, backed by appropriate regulations need to be ensured to reduce riots in the stadia. Injuries are a major problem in sports, sometimes incapacitating them lifelong. The effect of the covid pandemic on sports had been serious as it affected the schedules of major sports events all over the world. Some were cancelled and others like the Tokyo Olympics 2020 were postponed. When such sports events are conducted, the risks involved need to be attended to for reducing the impact of covid on the sportspersons, audience, and others. Some modern trends in sports research include flipped classrooms based on neural networks as a method of modernising sports education, the use of exergames to improve the physical activities of hearing-impaired students, and the use of UAV-enabled Internet of Things to track and work on the player safety. Overall, it is safe to say that sports management is at a nascent stage in Saudi Arabia. Addressing the challenges faced in sports management in Saudi Arabia can improve the sporting outcomes for the country.