On November 1, 2024, the President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaad, attended the closing ceremony of the 27th General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) in Cascais, Portugal. The high-profile event, chaired by ANOC President Robin Mitchell, also included the presence of International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Dr. Thomas Bach, who has been a guiding figure in the Olympic movement. The gathering brought together leaders and representatives from Olympic committees around the world to discuss the future of the organization and the Olympic movement globally.
The final day of the assembly included a series of detailed presentations on ANOC’s achievements, current initiatives, and strategic plans, with a focus on advancing the interests and influence of National Olympic Committees (NOCs) globally. These presentations provided insights into ANOC’s future direction and its commitment to strengthening the Olympic community. A significant point of discussion was the anticipated leadership transition within the IOC, as Dr. Bach’s presidency will conclude next summer, marking an important moment of change within the organization.
Prince Fahd bin Jalawi’s presence at the event was marked by a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of several national Olympic and Paralympic committees, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s active engagement in the global Olympic community. Notably, he met with representatives from the United States, the Netherlands, South Africa, and Sierra Leone, who recently merged their Olympic and Paralympic committees, a decision reflecting a growing trend toward unified national sports bodies. These discussions centered around opportunities for administrative collaboration and technical support aimed at furthering Saudi Arabia’s goals in Olympic and Paralympic sports, fostering exchange programs, and sharing best practices in sports governance and development.
Prince Fahd also took the opportunity to meet with committee heads from Albania and Kazakhstan, focusing on ways to enhance bilateral sports cooperation. Through these partnerships, Saudi Arabia aims to gain valuable insights to support the Kingdom’s ambitious sports development goals.
In a separate meeting with International Boxing Federation President Boris van der Vorst, Prince Fahd discussed Saudi Arabia’s increasing interest in the sport of boxing and the potential for collaboration to further develop boxing within the country. By tapping into the technical expertise and support of the International Boxing Federation, Saudi Arabia aims to build a stronger foundation for boxing, supporting athletes and infrastructure for the sport.
