Kevin Paul’s ‘ripple-effect’ mission to help transform Saudi Arabia’s sports culture

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Kevin Paul, a decorated Paralympic swimmer from South Africa. supplied
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Updated 09 December 2024
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Kevin Paul’s ‘ripple-effect’ mission to help transform Saudi Arabia’s sports culture

  • Paralympic swimming legend explains how making sports accessible will benefit future generations in the Kingdom

RIYADH: Kevin Paul, a decorated Paralympic swimmer from South Africa, is not only passionate about his athletic achievements but also deeply committed to shaping the future of youth sports in Saudi Arabia.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Paul shared his vision for sports education in the Kingdom, the role of his organization Nujoom, and how the growing scene in Saudi Arabia is creating opportunities for the next generation.

Born and raised in South Africa, where sport is a significant part of life, Paul has always viewed athletics as a powerful tool for personal growth. “Sport has always been an outlet for me,” he said.

“It’s always been an opportunity, and it’s always given me so much to be able to fall back on — whether it’s in business, relationships, or friendships. Every major milestone in my life has been linked to sport.”

As a Paralympic athlete, Paul understands the resilience and determination needed to overcome challenges.




Kevin Paul has won a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. supplied

After winning a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and then retiring from competitive swimming, Paul found himself at a crossroads — to either embark on a legal career he had studied for or pursue his passion for sport.

He chose the latter, moving to Dubai and eventually seeing the potential for sports education in Saudi Arabia, especially with the launch of Vision 2030.

“I feel that when the opportunity came for me to be able to do that in Saudi, I wanted to grab it as soon as possible,” Paul said, adding that the Kingdom has so much potential, and he wants to be a part of the future here.

One of the main vehicles for Paul’s mission in Saudi Arabia is Nujoom, a sports education organization he co-founded with Abdullah Alireza, a top Saudi professional triathlete.

They aim to bring high-quality, accessible opportunities to the Kingdom, aligning their efforts with Vision 2030’s focus on sports development.

“If you look at it from the Nujoom side of things, we want to be able to provide accessibility and provide our opportunity for sport to all,” Paul said. “It’s that little ripple effect, if you make that one change now, it’s just going to have an impact for generations to come.”

With Saudi Arabia investing heavily in high-end sports events and infrastructure, Paul highlights the critical importance of grassroots initiatives.

Grassroots sports are just as crucial as the big events in football and boxing, he explained. “If we can inspire parents to fall in love with sports, their kids will naturally benefit from that.”

For Paul, the most exciting aspect of Saudi Arabia’s sports transformation is the drive and determination he sees in the people, which he likens to his home country of South Africa.

“People here are very determined and resilient. They go after what they want,” he said. “If you’re looking back five or 10 years ago, maybe these goals didn’t exist because the opportunities weren’t there.

“But now the kid playing football in the park behind the house, he believes he can be the next (Cristiano) Ronaldo,” he added.

Paul also celebrates the transformation in Saudi Arabia for women and girls, emphasizing that inclusivity is key to the country’s growing sports landscape.

“That’s just going to pave the pathway for whatever kids want to do moving forward,” he said. Participation in physical activities help teach children life lessons such as resilience, goal-setting and teamwork that they can apply to every aspect of their lives, he added.

The paralympic athlete’s love for swimming led him to create one of the Kingdom’s most exciting sports initiatives, a mixed open-water swim group.

When he moved to Jeddah, he thought “there must be other people who have that same love for swimming as I do. Let’s start an open-water swim club like you have run clubs and cycle clubs.”

The club has now grown to 75 members, coming from diverse backgrounds and sharing a love for the water. “It’s a lot more than just swimming in the ocean,” Paul said.

“We’re breaking boundaries, making friends, and creating a healthy, active community. It’s the ripple effect — start with one change, and it grows into something much bigger."

The group meets every Saturday for open-water swims followed by coffee, fostering a sense of community. People will meet others from different walks of life, and it is not just about fitness, but also connecting with others who share a passion.




Kevin Paul has always viewed athletics as a powerful tool for personal growth. supplied

As a Paralympic athlete, Paul is particularly sensitive to the challenges faced by youth with disabilities in pursuing sports. He believes that education and structured programs are essential to ensuring these athletes receive the support they need to succeed.

He said one of the biggest challenges for youth with disabilities in Saudi Arabia when it comes to pursuing sports is ensuring that both youth and coaches understand what it takes to become the best.

Paul stresses the importance of making sure coaches have the necessary qualifications and experience to guide young athletes effectively. Private sector organizations like Nujoom can play a significant role in providing top-tier coaching, but high-level programs are needed.

He said Nujoom focuses on four key pillars: fun, learning, structured curriculum, and qualified coaches.

Paul said children need to have a clear learning pathway, and to progress at their own pace, whether they are doing so for recreation or preparing for the Paralympics.

He shared a powerful lesson from his experience at the 2012 London Paralympic Games, where he played a game of Jenga with a teammate Hendri Herbst, who is visually impaired.

“Hendri taught me that he didn’t want sympathy; he just wanted equal respect and opportunity,” Paul recalled. The biggest lesson he took away from that was to make the most of a situation, work toward goals, and ask people for help.

Paul and the team at Nujoom want to ensure that in 10 to 15 years the top athletes will be homegrown. “All the posters on the walls of kids’ rooms should be of Saudi born-and-bred athletes moving forward.”


Djokovic races into French Open fourth round

Updated 8 sec ago
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Djokovic races into French Open fourth round

  • The sixth seed will face 81st-ranked Cameron Norrie for a spot in the quarter-finals

PARIS: Novak Djokovic was in a hurry on Saturday as the 24-time Grand Slam winner dismissed world number 153 Filip Misolic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to book his place spot in the last 16 at Roland Garros.
The three-time French Open champion needed just over two hours to beat his Austrian opponent in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Djokovic had previously joked that he was not keen on potentially playing the late match on center court on Saturday as it would overlap with the UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan.
“It’s going to be PSG that I will support. I will definitely watch it if I’m not playing night session,” said AC Milan fan Djokovic.
“Yeah, that will be nice. FYI, Roland Garros schedule...”
With the umpire obliged to request excited local spectators concentrate on the match happening in front of them, the Serb was likely in little doubt as to the situation of the football match taking place in Munich.
But Djokovic put his quest for a record-breaking 25th major title firmly to the forefront of his mind as he overwhelmed Misolic with a typically clinical performance.
“I think I was solid in the important moments across the three sets,” said Djokovic who praised his opponent with whom he regularly practices.
“I would like you to give him a big round of applause,” he requested of the crowd in Paris.
The 38-year-old faced only one break point, which he saved, while hitting just 14 unforced errors to 33 winners.
The sixth seed will face 81st-ranked Cameron Norrie for a spot in the quarter-finals, after the former top 10 Brit earlier beat his compatriot Jacob Fearnley in straight sets.


Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League in style

Updated 5 min 19 sec ago
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Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League in style

  • Qatari-owned club thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 in the most one-sided final in the competition’s history

MUNICH, Germany: Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time by thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 on Saturday in the most one-sided final in the competition’s history.
Teenager Desire Doue scored twice for PSG and set up the opening goal for Achraf Hakimi in Munich’s Allianz Arena before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made it four and then 19-year-old substitute Senny Mayulu completed the scoring.
PSG took the lead after 12 minutes when Hakimi sidefooted home a pass from Doue.
The Parisians went 2-0 ahead eight minutes later when their defender Willian Pacho improbably kept the ball from going out at the PSG end and the resulting fast-flowing move led to Doue firing in a deflected shot that evaded Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
PSG made it 3-0 with a goal created by Vitinha’s surging run. He exchanged passes with Ousmane Dembele, before delivering a pass into the path of 19-year-old Doue who drilled the ball into the net.
The match was put beyond doubt by Georgian international Kvaratskhelia’s brilliant low finish before Mayulu rounded off a slick passing move.
Qatari-owned PSG are just the second French club since Marseille in 1993 to win European football’s top trophy.
 


PSG fans display banner calling for end to ‘genocide’ in Gaza during Champions League final

Updated 31 May 2025
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PSG fans display banner calling for end to ‘genocide’ in Gaza during Champions League final

  • PSG fans are known for their stance against the war in Gaza
  • The latest banner was likely to lead to disquiet among local authorities in Munich

MUNICH: Paris Saint-Germain supporters displayed a banner saying “Stop genocide in Gaza” during the Champions League final on Saturday.

They raised it shortly after Achraf Hakimi gave their team a 1-0 lead against his former side Inter Milan in the 12th minute. Désiré Doué scored PSG’s second after the banner was raised for a 2-0 halftime lead.

PSG fans are known for their stance against the war in Gaza. They previously displayed a giant banner saying “Free Palestine” in November during the Champions League match against Atlético Madrid.

The latest banner was likely to lead to disquiet among local authorities in Munich. Munich’s city hall displays an Israeli flag as well as a Ukrainian one, and German support for Israel is strong for historical reasons.

PSG could also face a fine. UEFA bans the use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit a provocative message that is judged not fit for a sports event, particularly provocative messages that are of a political, ideological, religious or offensive nature.

Financial penalties are typical for a first offense — 10,000 euros ($10,700) for a political banner or disturbances.

Israel’s nearly three-month blockade on Gaza has pushed the population of over two million to the brink of famine. It has allowed some aid to enter in recent days, but aid organizations say far from enough is getting in.

The UN World Food Program said the fear of starvation in Gaza is high.


21 athletes killed in Nigeria road crash

Updated 31 May 2025
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21 athletes killed in Nigeria road crash

  • The Federal Road Safety Corps said the afternoon crash “might have occurred as a result of fatigue and excessive speed“
  • The athletes were returning from the 22nd National Sports Festival

ABUJA: A bus crash on a Nigerian highway on Saturday killed 21 athletes returning from a national sports tournament, with authorities saying the accident might have been the result of driver fatigue or excessive speed.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the afternoon crash, which did not involve other vehicles, “might have occurred as a result of fatigue and excessive speed” after a long overnight trip.

The athletes were returning to Kano, in Nigeria’s north, from the 22nd National Sports Festival, held around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to the south in Ogun state.


President Bola Tinubu had recently said the games, which included sports ranging from wheelchair basketball to traditional west African wrestling, represented “the unity, strength and resilience that define us as a nation.”

Road accidents are common on Nigeria’s poorly maintained roads due largely to speeding and a disregard for traffic rules.

Last year Nigeria recorded 9,570 road accidents that resulted in 5,421 deaths, according to FRSC data.


Portuguese goalkeeper Patricio joins Al-Ain for Club World Cup

Updated 31 May 2025
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Portuguese goalkeeper Patricio joins Al-Ain for Club World Cup

  • “Patricio will arrive to the UAE tomorrow evening to undergo medical tests,” Al-Ain said
  • Patricio played 108 matches for Portugal

ABU DHABI: Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio will join Al-Ain on a short-term contract for the Club World Cup, the team from the United Arab Emirates said on Saturday.

“Al-Ain has signed Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio to participate with the team in the 2025 Club World Cup,” the club said on X about the 37-year-old Portugal international who is joining them from Atalanta.

“Patricio will arrive to the United Arab Emirates tomorrow evening to undergo medical tests and join the first-team training,” Al-Ain added.


Patricio played 108 matches for Portugal, helping them win Euro 2016, and has had spells with Sporting Lisbon, Wolverhampton Wanderers and AS Roma.

Al-Ain, who won the AFC Champions League title in 2024, reached the final of the 2018 Club World Cup final in front of their home fans.

This year’s revamped 32-team tournament will take place in the United States in June and July.

Al Ain have been drawn in Group G with Juventus, Manchester City and Morocco’s Wydade.

FIFA opened an exceptional transfer window from June 1-10 to allow players to be signed for the tournament.