CAMBRIDGE, UK: Saudi Arabia plans to have its own international polo team within two years, according to one of the country’s star players.

Speaking on the sidelines of the BMG Foundation’s 22nd annual charitable GCC Polo Cup, Amr Zedan, who played alongside Prince William on the BMG Financial team, praised the British royal for his performance during the match.

“Yes, I scored six goals, but it was really due to the support of Prince William, who helped with every play,” he said. “I have played with him for about nine years now and he is a very good player.”

Zedan was appointed chairman of the recently formed Saudi Polo Federation, which will promote the equine sport across the Kingdom.

“Our first meeting of the federation will be next week,” he said. “We are going to scout for youngsters who are into the game and send them to Argentina or Dubai to learn the sport. I have my own team established in Dubai — Zedan Polo — so I am looking at merging that into the federation, subject to board approval, and creating ‘Team Saudi’. 

“We would like to seek approval for Team Saudi to compete professionally in the UAE and UK seasons and, potentially, in the south of Spain.

“We would like to have youngsters starting to come into the game, learning and playing the game — and to have Team Saudi competing internationally.

That is the goal,” he said.