Saudi Sports for All Federation partners with Gulf Health Council to promote physical activity in Kingdom

SFA President Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud (right) and General Manager of the Gulf Health Council (GHC) Sulaiman AlDakheel. (SFA)
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Updated 29 October 2021
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Saudi Sports for All Federation partners with Gulf Health Council to promote physical activity in Kingdom

  • Agreement will focus on health awareness initiatives and healthier lifestyles among Saudi population

RIYADH: The Gulf Health Council and Saudi Sports for All Federation have signed partnership deal to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyle programs in the Kingdom.

The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Sports headquarters, in the presence of SFA President Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal, Gulf Health Council General Manager Sulaiman Al-Dakheel, and SFA Managing Director Shaima Saleh Al-Husseini.

Under agreement, the SFA and GHC will collaborate to promote health awareness initiatives and communicate the importance of participating in sports and physical activity.

The organization will further work together to activate health awareness campaigns and use their communications channels and social media platforms to reach a bigger audience across the Gulf.

The new initiatives will follow “For You and Life” and “Mental Health” campaigns, which aim to use sports to promote mental health.

“The agreement will see the Saudi Sports for All Federation working together with the Gulf Health Council to explore opportunities to launch programs, activities, and events that help spread the culture of sports and health aimed at building a healthier and more vibrant society.,” said Prince Khaled.

“The agreement is another example of SFA’s collaboration with regional and international bodies, whether in the Kingdom or GCC countries, to build a healthier, more active, and spirited society by launching innovative sports and health initiatives,” he added.

Prince Khaled said that the partnership is in line with the SFA strategy to work with the public and private sector to achieve the Vision 2030 Quality of Life objectives.

“The agreement forms part of the Council’s ongoing efforts to work with government agencies to provide health solutions that will have an impact on all members of the Gulf community,” said Al-Dakheel.

“Sports, physical activity, and health awareness are important elements in the council’s objectives focused on prevention, awareness, development, and health support. The collaboration with the Saudi Sports for All Federation will help us spread health awareness initiatives, enhance awareness of physical activity, which will, in turn, improve the quality of life. 

Supported by the Ministry of Sport, the SFA is mandated by Vision 2030’s Quality of Life Program to increase the ratio of people in the Kingdom exercising at least once a week to 40 percent by 2030.


Forest, Celtic into Europa League play-offs as Villa fight back

Updated 30 January 2026
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Forest, Celtic into Europa League play-offs as Villa fight back

  • Villa looked to be sliding to just a second defeat in Europe this campaign when Salzburg surged 2-0 ahead in Birmingham through goals from Karim Konate and Moussa Yeo

PARIS, France: Nottingham Forest will go into the Europa League play-off round after a 4-0 win over Ferencvaros on Thursday, while Celtic secured their place in the knockout phase with victory over Utrecht.
Aston Villa finished second in the league phase after recovering from two goals down to beat Red Bull Salzburg 3-2 with their spot in the last 16 already assured.
Forest stood an outside chance of climbing into the top eight going into the final round of matches but needed to beat Robbie Keane’s Ferencvaros and rely on other results going their way.
Sean Dyche’s side did their bit as Igor Jesus struck twice for Forest after Ferencvaros defender Bence Otvos scored an own goal. James McAtee tucked away a late penalty, but the win was only enough for the Premier League club to finish 13th overall.
“It has not been easy through various games, the schedule, planning, traveling and all that sort of stuff. To come out of a disappointing one in Braga (1-0 loss last week) and then to deliver that I am very pleased,” Dyche told TNT Sports.
Twice former European champions Forest will learn their play-off fate on Friday. They will face Fenerbahce or Panathinaikos over two legs next month, while Stuttgart or Ferencvaros await Celtic, who overcame lowly Utrecht 4-2 after scoring three times in the first 19 minutes in Glasgow.
Benjamin Nygren put Celtic ahead before an own goal from Utrecht captain Nick Viergever. Arne Engels converted a penalty with Celtic cruising, but Utrecht pulled it back to within one until Auston Trusty’s header gave the hosts some more breathing space.

Teen wins it for Villa

Villa looked to be sliding to just a second defeat in Europe this campaign when Salzburg surged 2-0 ahead in Birmingham through goals from Karim Konate and Moussa Yeo.
Morgan Rogers reduced the deficit and Tyrone Mings headed Villa level, with 19-year-old Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba netting his first senior goal to complete the turnaround for Unai Emery’s men.
“It’s a proud moment for me on my European debut,” Jimoh-Aloba told TNT Sports. “It’s just really nice to make my family proud and stuff because of all the hard work. I’ve had a lot of lows this season and a lot of highs, but this is top.”
Villa, who sit third in the Premier League, will get a welcome break before the last 16 — where they could meet Lille, PAOK, Red Star Belgrade or Celta Vigo.
Emery has won the Europa League a record four times as a manager and Rogers believes that is a considerable advantage for Villa.
“He knows how to get his way through a competition, especially this one. To have him in our corner guiding us through it is going to be massive,” said Rogers.
Lyon topped the table with seven wins from eight after completing the league phase with a 4-2 victory over PAOK. A minute’s silence was observed before kick-off in memory of the seven Greek fans killed in a minibus accident in Romania on Tuesday.
Midtjylland, Real Betis, Porto, Braga, Freiburg and Roma all finished in the top eight to ensure direct qualification for the last 16.
Rangers concluded a miserable European campaign with a 3-1 loss at Porto, their sixth defeat in eight games in the competition.