Sports minister approves formation of Saudi Boxing Federation's board of directors
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Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Winners announced for ‘She's Next in Football' program
Visa, a global leader in digital payments, has announced the winners of the inaugural 'She's Next in Football' program in Saudi Arabia, held in partnership with Saudi Awwal Bank and AC Milan Women. The initiative spotlights the Kingdom's most promising women footballers and marks a major step in advancing female talent in sports through mentorship, professional training, and international exposure. Fatima Alsenan was named the overall winner and will travel to Milan for a two-week 'Training with the PRO' experience at the PUMA House of Football, training alongside AC Milan Women's professional players and coaches. Zainab Alhomidi secured the runner-up position and will enjoy an exclusive VIP visit to AC Milan's training grounds. Finalists were evaluated based on their football skills, leadership potential, and dedication to the game. The judging panel included representatives from Visa, SAB, and Saudi football icon Farah Jefry, who also serves as the program's ambassador. 'Programs like She's Next in Football show us what's possible when ambition, talent, and opportunity come together. What sets these young women apart isn't just what they do. It's how they think with resilience, focus, and a willingness to grow. That mindset is exactly what She's Next is all about. Through partnerships with SAB and AC Milan Women, we're not just creating opportunities, but building ecosystems that empower women to lead, inspire, and shape their communities. It's a model that works across sectors, and one we're proud to champion as part of Saudi Arabia's inclusive growth journey,' said Ali Bailoun, Visa's regional general manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman. Lama Ghazzaoui, chief financial officer at SAB, said: 'When women are given meaningful access to opportunity they rise, not only as athletes but as changemakers.' This partnership is about more than football, it is about creating a space for growth, confidence and ambition to take root. As the chair of BALANCE, SAB's employee diversity program, we strive to promote gender diversity in the workplace and the marketplace. We are also dedicated to contributing to a more inclusive future for sports in the Kingdom by supporting initiatives that expand opportunities for training, mentoring, and developing female talent, ultimately transforming it into professional capabilities.' Elisabet Spina, AC Milan head of women football, said: 'At AC Milan, in collaboration with SAB and Visa, we are proud to support these young women and accompany them on their journey of growth, both on and off the pitch. We are very pleased to welcome Fatima Alsenan to the PUMA House of Football, where she will begin a high-level growth journey within a club whose prestige is globally recognized, and in close contact with top-tier professionals.'
Leaders
3 hours ago
- Leaders
GEA Chairman Unveils ‘The Ring IV' with 4 World Title Fights for Riyadh Season
Advisor Turki Al-Sheikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation, has officially announced the return of the global boxing spectacle, The Ring IV . Scheduled for Friday, November 22 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, the event will be a centerpiece of this year's Riyadh Season celebrations. This highly anticipated edition will feature four major world title fights, showcasing elite international talent in what is expected to be one of the most electrifying nights in boxing history. 4 Title Fights Featuring Global Boxing Stars The main event of the night features an all-American showdown for the WBO welterweight title between undefeated stars Devin Haney and Brian Norman Jr. Haney enters the ring with an impressive 32-0 record (15 KOs), while Norman boasts 28 victories (22 KOs). Both fighters are coming off dominant performances—Haney with a decision win over Arnold Barboza Jr., and Norman with a knockout victory against Jin Sasaki—setting the stage for a high-stakes clash. The co-main event sees American powerhouse David Benavidez defend his WBC light heavyweight crown against British contender Anthony Yarde. Benavidez remains unbeaten at 30-0 (24 KOs), while Yarde brings a formidable record of 27 wins (24 KOs) and 3 losses. Their bout promises explosive action and intense competition. Rising Stars, Technical Battles In the lightweight division, undefeated American prospect Abdullah Mason will face off against Britain's Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO title. Mason holds a record of 19 wins with 17 knockouts, while Noakes carries 17 wins with 15 knockouts—making this a battle of power, precision, and emerging talent. Closing the event is a Super Bantamweight fight between Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez of the U.S. and Argentina's Fernando Martinez. Moreover, the Ring title on the line, fans can expect a technical masterclass from both fighters, marked by speed, skill, and strategic finesse. Saudi Arabia's Global Sporting Ascent Finally , The Ring IV continues Saudi Arabia's ambitious efforts to position itself as a major global player in sports and entertainment. As part of Riyadh Season, this event not only brings world-class boxing to the Kingdom but also highlights its growing influence in the international sporting arena. Related Topics: Tickets Available Now for WWE 'SmackDown', 'Night of Champions' in Riyadh via Webook Unforgettable Night at Riyadh Season with Hans Zimmer Riyadh Season 2025 Shatters Records with 20 Million Visitors Short link : Post Views: 27
Al Arabiya
4 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Paige Bueckers is matching the hype, and then some, as the no. 1 pick for the wings
Paige Bueckers has been just about everything the Dallas Wings hoped for as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft, matching Caitlin Clark from a year ago as a rookie All-Star starter while shouldering a heavy load for a rebuilding team. The former UConn star is also passing her most predictable test: handling losing when she didn't have much experience with it in college. Beyond managing the losing, Bueckers has helped engineer quite the response. Although they just lost to Phoenix by 30 points after beating the Mercury in their previous game, the Wings are 5-3 since blowing an 11-point lead in the last four minutes of an 88-84 loss at Las Vegas that dropped them to 1-11. Credit to Paige, said Chris Koclanes, a rookie himself as a head coach. 'Her mindset and her intention into the mental side of the game, she's resilient. She's not discouraged at all. She's in there, she's positive. She knows there is a larger vision here and that you've got to go through some of this tough stuff early to ultimately get to where you want to go.' For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. Bueckers missed four of the losses while recovering from a concussion and then an illness. She also sat the second night of a back-to-back with a sore right knee, and the Wings won for the first time without her. A three-time Associated Press All-American during a UConn career capped by the storied programs first national championship in nine years, Bueckers lost 13 times in four seasons with the Huskies. She's at 10 in less than two months with the Wings. 'Just staying disciplined in your habits and not changing who you are based on the results but sticking to your process and how you do things,' Bueckers said. 'Regardless of the winning and losing, just enjoy coming to work every single day. It's been fun to enjoy the process. You never want to get used to losing, but you also don't want to be used to being result-oriented.' Clark, the first overall pick last year by Indiana, is a captain in just her second All-Star appearance, and Bueckers bid makes it three years in a row to have a rookie starter. Clark's teammate with the Fever, Aliyah Boston, did it in 2023. Bueckers leads the Wings – and all WNBA rookies – in scoring (18.7 points per game), assists (5.7), and steals (1.8), which means she's well on her way to matching another Clark accomplishment from a year ago: Rookie of the Year. Even though the Wings plummeted to 9-31 last season – just a year after winning a playoff series for the first time since moving to the Dallas area in 2016 – they still had 2024 All-Star Game MVP Arike Ogunbowale in their backcourt. Bueckers fit perfectly as a facilitator alongside one of the leagues elite scorers but clearly has proven to be a scoring option equal to Ogunbowale, who has missed the past two games with a thumb injury. 'I'm asking her to do a ton right now,' Koclanes said of his 23-year-old star. 'Having her bring the ball up the floor every single time and then also score and also facilitate. How she's been able to handle that has just been extremely impressive.' The Wings overhauled most of the rest of their roster this past offseason. First-year general manager Curt Miller is now tinkering, having recently sent NaLyssa Smith, one of the acquisitions, to Las Vegas for a 2027 first-round pick. There's no question the Wings plan to build around Bueckers. 'I think her greatest gift is she makes everyone better around her,' Miller said. 'She's a humble superstar. She's just had a remarkable start with a lot of pressure. And coming off a very long collegiate season where chasing that national championship, you can't imagine what the weight on her shoulders must have felt like.' Repeating one other thing Clark did might be difficult for Bueckers. The Fever rebounded from a 1-8 start to make the playoffs last year before getting swept by Connecticut in a best-of-three series in the first round. A postseason bid is likely to require getting back to .500, and the schedule over the next month has plenty of playoff contenders, including three meetings with the defending champion New York Liberty. There is almost a weeklong break in there, but not for Bueckers. She'll be at the All-Star Game at Indianapolis on July 19. She won't be looking at that recognition as any sort of validation. 'I don't live to anybody else's expectations or what I'm supposed to look like,' Bueckers said. 'I just go out there and play every single game and every single possession as it is. And the results may vary. So whatever that looks like on any given night, you live with the results.' She's living by those words as a rookie.
