First woman president in Saudi sport hopes to bring success to Wej Club

JEDDAH: On June 8, Hanan Al-Qurashi became the first Saudi woman sports club president in the Kingdom’s history after she was appointed head of Taif-based Wej Club by the Ministry of Sport.

Al-Qurashi had previously served as a member of the board of directors at the Wej Club, and she was assigned to handle women’s sports in 2021. In August 2022, she was appointed vice president of the Wej Club.

Speaking to Arab News, Al-Qurashi said: “I am truly honored to be Wej’s president, and would like to thank the Ministry of Sport for putting its faith in me to deliver this enormously important role, for the good of the sport I have loved all my life.”

She added: “This represents an affirmation of confidence in women and an enhancement of their pioneering role in all fields with the support of the leadership in the country that has provided and continues to provide all citizens of the country, men and women, with all support and confidence, in order to accomplish many difficult tasks for this dear country.

“This confidence is ‘a crown on our heads’ as Saudi women, as it confirms that there is no difference between men and women except through work and achievement, which determines the competence and ability to perform the tasks assigned to each of us.”

She called being the first woman in the club’s history to be made chairperson “a good gesture and a breakthrough for all women.”

She said it will be a challenging job, revealing that the club has great ambitions for the future.

“It is a big job, so you’ve got to be brave in a lot of ways, and come out of your comfort zone if you want to create change,” she told Arab News.

When asked about her plan to develop the club in all sports, she said: “My ambition is to work, strive