Mobily Sponsors Barcelona Training of Rising Saudi Footballers

Twenty amateur Saudi footballers and their two coaches concluded their training Monday afternoon ahead of a two-week training camp in Barcelona, Spain. The group are expected to head off to the airport tonight.

The 20 youngsters, products of Etihad Etisalat’s school league held during the summer, will travel along with their two school coaches and attend a training camp managed by Barcelona Club and funded by Mobily in coordination with the Ministry of Education. The program itself has received the support of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare.

Of the 20 youths ranging in age from 14 to 17, eight are from Riyadh, seven from Dammam and five from Jeddah.

Local clubs like Al-Hilal from Al-Riyadh, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli from Jeddah, and Al-Qadisia Club from Damman have snapped up at least eight of them with expected news of similar deals with at least another three out of the 20 players. Al-Hilal Club, which signed the largest sports marketing deal in the Kingdom with Mobily last week, is reported to have signed up at least five of the young footballers. Two have signed up with Ahli, and others with Itiihad and Qadisia. Prior to the Spain trip, the footballers attended a series of workshops and seminars at the Riyadh Marriott hotel here in Riyadh, and intensive physical training at the Sports Training College. Among the trainers and lecturers are international coach Abdulrahman Al-Zaid, a Saudi national.

Mobily funded and sponsored the training program with the goal of promoting and encouraging similar endeavors, according to a statement issued by the company’s CEO, Khalid Al Kaf.

Al Kaf said in an interview published in the Arabic-language sports daily, Al-Riyadiyah that Mobily aimed at increasing its thrust with more “partnerships” and funding in the aim of throwing weight into sports promotion arena and encouraging other companies to invest in the sector. The executive went so far as to express hopes that other companies attempt to outdo Mobily.

Mobily itself sponsors 13 national clubs, most prominent of which is the Saudi national football league and Saudi Olympic team. The company has made inroads into reviving interest in lesser known sports like motor sports, scuba diving and handball.

Aug 1, 2007