The Shura Council's decision calling for studying the allocation of seats in Saudi universities for outstanding student-athletes has opened the door to a new phase of enabling national talents to combine university education with athletic careers, a step that specialists believe may contribute to preserving talents and raising the quality of Saudi sports outputs.

The Council, in a decision issued recently, requested the Ministry of Sports to study allocating seats in Saudi universities to attract outstanding athletes, and also called for conducting a study to identify factors affecting spectator attendance at sports competitions, and adopting programs and initiatives to increase attendance rates in line with the sports sector's goals, alongside improving the efficiency of managing and investing sports assets, and achieving optimal use to enhance their economic value and financial sustainability.

The Council also issued another decision requesting the Mahd Sports Academy to develop the scientific research system and conduct more research and studies that support talent discovery and performance development, in addition to expanding the sports scholarship program to cover all sports of the academy, and strengthening the path of international professionalism to hone national talents and sustain them in competitive local and external environments.

National coach and lecturer at the Saudi Federation, Bandar Al-Jaithan, sees the recommendation as an important step in the development path of Saudi sports, emphasizing that universities are one of the most important sources for producing athletes in developed countries.

Al-Jaithan told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Shura Council did not take this decision in a vacuum, given the support and attention the sports sector receives, noting that universities can play a pivotal role in discovering and refining talents, as well as enabling athletes to continue their education without affecting their athletic careers.

He added that raising the scientific level of an athlete contributes to enhancing his culture and awareness, which positively reflects on his performance inside and outside competitions, noting that many international universities have become a major source for preparing athletes and attracting audiences to sports events.

Regarding spectator attendance, Al-Jaithan explained that increasing the number of fans is not only related to competition, but also to improving the fan experience within sports facilities by providing programs and services that make attending matches more attractive.

He pointed out that the Mahd Academy plays an important role in talent discovery, stressing that the success of this task depends on having specialized coaches capable of discovering players and refining them technically and mentally, in addition to expanding scholarships and external exposure programs, which contribute to preparing a new generation of athletes capable of competing in international arenas.

For his part, Islam Saraj, a player for the Saudi national beach soccer team and former player for several Saudi clubs, considered the Shura Council's recommendations an important step to support the Saudi sports journey, stressing that allocating university seats for outstanding student-athletes would help talents continue their education without abandoning their athletic careers.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the recommendations regarding developing the Mahd Academy, expanding sports scholarship programs, and strengthening external professionalism paths represent important support for Saudi talents, adding that the Saudi player has the potential to qualify for professionalism abroad when the appropriate environment and international exposure opportunities are available.

He pointed out that attention to scientific research and developing talent discovery programs will contribute to preparing a new generation of athletes, expressing his confidence that these trends will positively reflect on the future of Saudi sports and enhance its presence in international forums.