BEIJING – The first-ever Saudi Winter Olympics delegation arrived on Thursday in Beijing to participate in the 24th Winter Olympic Games, Beijing 2022. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC), headed the delegation. Saudi Arabia will be participating in the winter Olympics for the first time through Saudi athlete Fayik Abdi who has become the first Saudi to qualify in winter Olympics through the alpine skiing, mainly in the Giant Slalom. Prince Abdulaziz expressed his utmost appreciation for the generous support of the Saudi government; the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman, and the Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, for paving the way for all Saudi athletes to participate and compete in all sports. "This effort was fruitful through the qualification of the first-ever Saudi rower, Hussain Alireza, who qualified to Tokyo 2020, and now through the first-ever participation at the Winter Olympics through Alpine Skiing athlete Fayik Abdi who secured his place and qualified to Beijing 2022." Meanwhile, it seems Saudis are still attached to the nation's first Olympic appearance back in Munich in 1972. They believe that this moment is no different, as a new sporting path has opened its doors to welcome more Saudis to compete and embrace a new sporting lifestyle. The Saudi Winter Olympics participation will see Abdi competing in the Giant Slalom event less than two months after securing his qualification points for Beijing 2022. The story of this historical participation came after less than two years of forming the Saudi Winter Sports Federation (SWSF), which oversees all Winter Sports activities in the Kingdom. In May of 2021, SOPC and SWSF launched a nationwide talent campaign seeking young Saudis to represent Saudi Arabia at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. The movement presented outstanding results, as six professional Saudi Winter Sports athletes, including Abdi, proved their readiness to take on the challenge and take their nation to mark its first appearance ever at the Grand winter sporting event. The Saudi delegation includes Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz, Vice President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee; Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan, member of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and member of the International Olympic Committee; and member of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Adwa Al-Oraifi.
