FaceOf: Turki Al-Alshaikh, Saudi General Sports Authority chairman

Turki bin Abdel Muhsin Al-Alshaikh

Turki bin Abdel Muhsin Al-Alshaikh is the chairman of the board of directors of ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ’s General Sports Authority (GSA), ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵn Olympic Committee, Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation and Union of Arab Football Associations.

He is also an adviser to the royal court with the rank of minister. 

Al-Alshaikh was born in Riyadh in 1981. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Security Sciences from King Fahad Security College. He graduated in 2001.

He started his career in the government sector by joining working the Interior Ministry where he reached the rank of a captain. Then he worked in the Emirate of Riyadh for two years, after that he moved to the office of the prince of Riyadh. He also worked in the office of the defense minister and the crown prince for three years.

In January 2015, he was appointed an adviser to the royal court, and in June 2017, a royal decree was issued to promote him to be a royal advisor with the rank of minister. In September 2017, he was chosen to head GSA. 

Al-Alshaikh was named the most influential Arab sports personality of the year 2017 at the 12th Dubai International Sports Conference.

Since Al-Alshaikh’s appointment as the GSA chief, the sports authority has launched a series of notable initiatives, which include providing financial support to the Saudi national clubs, formation of a technical committee for the development of Saudi football and to ensure that national talents find proper opportunities, and building a strong relations with continental and international sports associations. 

Al-Alshaikh also signed a number of deals to host important sports events in ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ, such as the recent contact with the World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) to hold wrestling events in the country for the next 10 years. 

Al-Alshaikh is also a poet and a songwriter.