São Paulo – Developing initiatives to promote sport as a human, economic, and social development vector. This is the mission of the Ryadah Sports Committee, which had its action plan presented this Monday (3) at the headquarters of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) in São Paulo. The event was attended by the chairman of the committee, former mixed martial arts (MMA) champion Rodrigo Nogueira (Minotauro), and general coordinator lawyer Pedro Trengrouse, among other sports personalities. Pictured above, Minotauro (left) with Tamer Mansour (right).
Among the committee’s initiatives are sports cooperation through exchanges, partnerships, and business; a qualification program with training, digitization, rapprochement of ecosystems, media, and entertainment; and attraction of investments by promoting the image of Brazilian sports, connections, and impact on new segments.
Another initiative will be in Paralympic sports, in which Brazil is a global reference and presents itself as an opportunity for development in the Arab market.
With these initiatives, Ryadah wants to act as a catalyst for business between Brazil and the Arab countries in other sports-related sectors, such as renewable energy, tourism, agriculture, technology, infrastructure, and the digital industry.
“We can drive other industries and companies to invest in sports. Let’s take advantage of the soft power of sport as a lever for other businesses,” said Trengrouse at the event.
The committee’s general coordinator recalled Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, is the world hub for Jiu-Jitsu, with over a thousand Brazilian martial art teachers in schools and the armed forces. In addition, several football coaches from Brazil have already worked in Arab countries, and many Brazilians play in Arab football leagues.
“There is already a very dense social fabric, very consistent for Brazil’s cooperation with the Arab countries in the area of sports and thinking sport as an industry, looking at the investments the Arabs have been making in football, mainly in Europe, buying many teams abroad, it is natural to seek support to bring these investments here. When thinking about the internationalization of these countries through football, Brazil needs to present itself, and the ABCC has to be the instrument for that,” said Trengrouse.
According to the secretary-general & CEO of the ABCC, Tamer Mansour, the committee’s goal is not only to secure investment but also to promote the internationalization of Brazilian sports. “It is very important that Arab countries admire our football and jiu-jitsu and look up to Brazilian sport. The committee’s main objective is to share the knowledge Brazil has in all areas [of sport], also in women’s sport, as we understand it is important for the moment the Arabs are going through, for a cultural revolution, modernization, not only in terms of investment, but in terms of ideas, of openings, and Qatar was an example of that,” declared Mansour in the event.
He wants to take other Brazilian sports, not so well known in the Arab world, like women’s rugby. “Sport is education; it is culture. Naturally, the committee will open new investments in new sectors, such as industry, and tourism. The committee does not look at sport only as a game but wants to establish a new era in the field of sport between countries,” declared Mansour.
Minotauro said the Arabs are interested in exchanging knowledge with Brazil. “Brazil is a reference in sports, martial arts, football, and the Arabs are interested in exchanging this knowledge with Brazil. I am happy to be here representing [the committee], and we will try our best to develop Brazilian sport and this relationship with the Arabs,” said the former MMA fighter.
The committee will, as the first stage of its action plan, survey all agreements related to sports already in force between Brazil and the Arab countries; existing integration initiatives through sport between Brazil and the region; current international investments by Brazil and Arab countries in the sports industry; and the current interests of the main stakeholders of the sports industry in Brazil and the Arab countries related to the possible integration between them.
The Ryadah Committee comprises twenty members, including athletes, coaches, businesspeople, and sports personalities. It was inspired by the World Cup hosted by Qatar and launched during the Economic Forum Brazil & Arab Countries in July 2022.
The presentation was also attended by members of the Ryadah Committee: René Simões, former football coach; Reinaldo Carneiro Bastos, president of the São Paulo State Football Federation, and Camilla Prando, Eduardo Tega, Francisco Clemente, Paulo Feuz, Felipe Sigollo, Ricardo Leyser, among others. ABCC director Mohamed Abdouni opened the event.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
