The Saudi Arabian Pro League has welcomed a vast number of stars to its shores this summer, and while some stand by the quality of the league, it does present different challenges to both players and staff.
At a recent conference, ‘Thinking Football’, some of the issues particular to Saudi Arabia were discussed by Portuguese doctor Sergio Gomes, who works for Al Ittihad now.
For one, the heat and high humidity make high intensity exercise tricky, ultimately slowing the tempo of the league down. In addition, the month of Ramadan, where Muslims fast between sunrise and sundown, can also present challenges for elite sports professionals.
Curiously enough, Al Ittihad’s star signing Karim Benzema has always enjoyed an exceptional record during the month of Ramadan. But Gomes, as reported by Sport, said that the league’s biggest challenge from a sports science point of view was sugar.
“We don’t have a problem with alcohol, but we do have a problem with sugar. It is a tradition in Saudi Arabia for each person to eat a dessert that an entire team could eat,” he noted.
Regarding the heat, Gomes said that it will “lead to strategies in terms of training, nutrition, it will be quite a challenge.”
The event was organised by the Portuguese league, and the likes of Roberto Carlos, Javier Tebas, Carlos Carvalhal and Sevilla Vice-President Jose Maria del Nido Carrasco are all present this week.
