Episode 92! Saudi Arabia’s sporting ambitions and investments have been dominating global coverage of the Kingdom in recent months. 

The 966 speaks with Simon Chadwick, Professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy, SKEMMA Business School, Paris, about all of the interest and investments by Saudi Arabia and Gulf nations into global sports. Professor Chadwick has consulted for and advised some of the biggest names in sport, such as FC Barcelona, UEFA, Adidas, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Before that, the hosts discuss a recent article in Newsweek by a previous guest of The 966, David Rundell, about some facts around Saudi Arabia's real role in 9/11, and why context matters. Then the hosts discuss all the latest with NEOM, including a recent interview given by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Discovery in English. The hosts conclude as always with Yallah! 6 top storylines to get you up to speed heading into the weekend. 

5:22 - Richard's One Big Thing is drawing attention and giving credit to a recent op-ed in Newsweek by a previous guest of The 966, David Rundell. Rundell and Gfoeller argue that Saudis "never made up the majority of al-Qaeda's leadership or membership. Below Osama bin Ladin, al-Qaeda's leadership was primarily Egyptian. Al-Qaeda's foot soldiers came from across the Muslim world with North Africans, Indonesians and Pakistanis contributing far more than Saudis. Saudis were used to carry out the 9/11 attacks primarily because it was far easier for them to obtain visas to the United States than it was for their Egyptian or Pakistani colleagues....Nor did al-Qaeda's political agenda originate in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Islam has a long tradition of puritanical intolerance which has most often been directed against the religious practices of other Muslims. Within Saudi Arabia, the religious scholars have an equally long history of condemning terrorism, especially when it involves suicide."

24:01 - Lucien's One Big Thing is discussion of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's remarks to a Discovery Channel documentary on Neom and all the other developments that happened in Neom in just the past two weeks. Lucien shares the comments that the Crown Prince made, which demonstrate his enthusiasm for the project and the genesis of the design and need to provide a new, global city for Saudis. Also recently, NEOM has announced that it has finalized contracts with investors for the first phase of its residential communities’ expansion, a social infrastructure project that will house the region’s growing workforce, and signed a deal with a global yachting brand, a major Saudi media organization, and more. 

38:38 - The 966 speaks with Professor Simon Chadwick. Professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy, SKEMMA Business School, Paris, about all of the interest and investments by Saudi Arabia and Gulf nations into global sports. Professor Chadwick has consulted for and advised some of the biggest names in sport, such as FC Barcelona, UEFA, Adidas, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).

1:33 - Yallah! 6 Top Storylines to get you up to speed heading into the weekend. 

•Nearly 1.5 million foreign pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia so far for annual Hajj pilgrimage 

•Kingdom at the Forefront of Air Taxi Tech with Test of Volocopter in Collaboration with Neom

•Aston Martin Ties with Lucid for EV Partnership

•Kante joins Benzema at Al-Ittihad on 3-year deal as Saudi Arabia entices another star player

•The framework of the merger agreement of the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf says a for-profit subsidiary of the U.S. golfing body will be created 

•The 2023 Club World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah