Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 30, 2021: Australian high-performance sports specialist Matt Favier has been appointed CEO of the new Saudi Olympic Training Center.
This move comes after the Center recruited 180 athletes, with Favier brought in to implement the Saudi Olympic Committee’s vision of providing a professional sporting environment for elite athletes in the Kingdom.
Favier is a sports administrator with over 25 years' experience across various sports, most recently acting as CEO of Hockey Australia where he developed a national league with teams playing home and away.
At Tokyo 2020, the Australian men’s hockey team claimed the silver medal.
Favier’s tendency to bring in a series of reforms was evident throughout his work at the Australian Institute of Sport, too, where he spent five years as Director. He also worked for UK Sport and UK Athletics for nine years.
With the Center looking to increase the number of athletes it manages to 480 in 2023, this kind of experience will be vital to creating a world-class Olympic training center.
Favier said: "From my first day here I have been working with the SOTC team, the Saudi Olympic Committee and the National Federations to achieve the Kingdom’s short-term and long-term goals.
“The athletes here have been carefully selected in accordance with the regulations and conditions that have been established by the Center. Our doors will remain open to elite athletes across the country and there will be future opportunities for athletes to be identified and selected to receive support."
The SOTC will initially support athletes from Athletics, Archery, Rowing, Equestrian, Taekwondo, Judo, Karate, Table Tennis, Swimming, Handball, Shooting, Fencing, Weightlifting, E-Sports and Billiards.