Saudi Arabia has granted citizenship to several distinguished athletes as part of a royal decree aimed at giving nationality to talents that can benefit the country in various fields, in line with the Vision 2030 initiative. According to the Saudi newspaper "Al-Riyadiyah," American football player Maryam Al-Tamimi was granted Saudi citizenship after being included in the women's national team based on the recommendation of head coach Monica Stapp. She is registered with the Saudi Football Federation and played a significant role in helping her team, "Shu'la Al-Sharqiya," secure first place in the Eastern Region League in 2021. She recently joined the Ittihad team in a two-year contract until 2025.
Additionally, goalkeeper Abd al-Basit Suleiman Abdullah, of Nigerian descent, was also granted Saudi citizenship. He played for the Al-Raed and Dhamak clubs from 2019 to 2022 and possesses high physical and technical qualities that support the goalkeeping position in both current and future national teams.
Furthermore, approval was granted for citizenship to track and field athlete Muhammad bin Dawood Tolo, a rising talent in shot put. Since starting in this sport, he has become a top contender for continental and world medals within three years and was awarded the Olympic Excellence Award for Best Promising Player during the Saudi Olympic Committee's General Assembly in 2021.
Abd Allah Abkar Muhammad was also granted citizenship; he holds the best record in Saudi Arabia for the 100m race at 10.03 seconds and has qualified for the "Rio de Janeiro 2016" Olympics. He is recognized as the best short-distance athlete representing Saudi Arabia in international events.
In a significant focus on developing Muay Thai boxing, Syrian player Tasneem Al-Qassab was granted Saudi citizenship.
In tennis, British player Aissa Sher Ali received Saudi citizenship. He has been residing in Saudi Arabia since 2011, winning the under-14 category at the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) Championships and recently securing seven national and international titles. He is considered one of the top young tennis players in the region.
Another addition to Saudi nationality in tennis is French player Misan Hussein, who is 15 years old. She has won several girls' championships in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and France, reaching 41st in the Asian Tennis rankings for the under-14 category. She also won the Mahdia Open Tennis Tournament in Tunisia for the under-16 category.
In golf, Sergio Mousa Arif was granted Saudi citizenship, having won over 100 junior awards. He is recognized as the only Arab player with a world ranking among professionals and was the first Arab to win a professional championship in Europe. He also ranked second in the professional tour for amateurs in the Middle East and North Africa and is an ambassador for the Saudi Golf Company, promoting the game globally.
