A Future Vision for Developing Arab Sports

Dr. Hamada Eid Alantably

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There is no doubt that the current state of Arab sports—often characterized by setbacks at the global competitive and Olympic levels, alongside declining public health indicators due to insufficient physical activity for health purposes, coupled with numerous organizational and administrative obstacles within various structures across the Arab world—points to the urgent necessity of working at all levels to establish a shared vision that contributes to advancing the sports movement and developing the Arab sports system across the board. Success in sports is achievable when a strong foundation is built. This system of success is realized by constructing a stronger and more resilient sports sector through governance reforms, workforce development, and reducing reliance on public funding. Furthermore, we must adopt a new system for supporting athletes and practitioners at the school and university levels, as well as at governmental, public levels, and across all public spaces and gatherings, because sports must be safe and inclusive for everyone.

Because sports primarily concern members of society across all social strata rather than a specific class or segment, we are dealing with the human psyche, which is constantly governed by the factor of satisfaction. In this context, self-satisfaction acts as an enemy for those who practice sports, just as it does for professional athletes. It is the government’s duty to ensure that everyone benefits from the power of sports, and greater efforts must be deployed not only to increase participation but to harness its tremendous power to change people’s lives for the better.

Therefore, this vision for developing Arab sports goes beyond merely looking at the number of people practicing sports; it examines what individuals derive from sports practice and what can be done to improve the lives of individuals across all levels in the future. We will redefine success in sports by focusing on five main objectives: physical health, mental health, individual development, social and community development, and economic development.

Through this vision, we must work to distribute funding to focus on individuals who tend to be underrepresented in sports—including women and girls, people with disabilities, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and the elderly. We must also institutionalize the promotion of sports participation starting from the age of five to build a strong generation accustomed to exercising from an early age.

Additionally, through this vision, we adopt the creation of indicators to measure participation rates across all age groups and social classes, thereby reinforcing the concept of an active sports-practicing society. We must ensure that sports policy reflects the value of broader participation in sports, whether through volunteering, spectating, or enjoying the shared sense of community and pride that stems from local and international sports success.

This goes hand in hand with emphasizing a commitment to nurturing and developing Olympic and Paralympic sports in a way that strengthens the Arab presence in international forums, reflecting our capabilities and potential across all Olympic and Paralympic events. It also entails focusing on developing non-Olympic sports to broaden the grassroots foundation for sports participation in all disciplines and at all levels.

For this vision to achieve its goal, there must be clear cooperation among all governmental and private sectors to adopt a unified vision for sports. Ministries must embrace a new mindset regarding sports participation at all levels, supported in a way that reflects state directions toward sports. It is also essential to affirm the concept of making sports truly the centerpiece of life in this country; it builds individuals and communities, strengthens the economy, and supports a range of other political priorities, including public health, crime reduction, and education. However, to fulfill its potential, sports must be much more than mere numbers. We must all fully understand the profound positive difference it can make in people’s lives.