Saudi Arabia will look to homegrown talent to expand its base of elite athletes rather than following its neighbors down the path of naturalizing foreigners, the Saudi Olympic Committee’s media chief said.
Financing from the country’s Public Investment Fund, which manages more than $700 billion in assets, has propelled the country to the status of a major player in the sports world in just a few years.
Developing talent is a long-term project that cannot be easily accelerated by financial muscle, and Saudi Arabia will need more than the 33 athletes it sent to the Tokyo Olympics if it wants to host the Summer Games.
