Al-Safa Club is a sports club, based in Saudi Arabia, that competes in the Saudi Second Division. The club's headquarters are located in the Safwa City in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia near Dammam and King Fahd International Airport. The facilities of Al-Safa club have been built to the highest standards and include international standard football pitch with an international track and field, swimming pool, indoor volleyball, handball and basketball hall, outdoor tennis, volleyball, handball and basketball courts in addition to a full facility gym and indoor squash courts.

Al-Safa
Full nameAl Safa Sports Club
Nickname(s)Safa
Founded1 January 1947; 77 years ago (1947-01-01)
GroundAl-Safa Club Stadium, Safwa
Capacity3,500
ChairmanMohammed Hassan Ibrahim
ManagerCarlos Pinto
LeagueFirst Division League
2023–24FDL, 10th of 18
Websitehttp://www.alsafa.sa

The club competes in ten different sports in Saudi Arabia on the youth and adult levels. These are: Football, Track and field, Handball, Volleyball, Basketball, Squash, Tennis, Table Tennis, Swimming and Bodybuilding. The sports club members have reached highest levels in Saudi Arabia's competitions and have represented the country with the national teams in world cups/ championships and in the Olympic Games.

The club has also multicultural participations in Theatre, Photography, Arts and general training and development.

History

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Al-Safa Club was founded in 1947 under the name of "Al-Safa Football Team". And when the Ministry of Interior in Saudi Arabia organized the establishments of sports teams, a special committee visited Safwa city and officially registered the team as a sports club that is officially registered and regulated under the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYF) in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Safa management

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Several presidents have been elected to chair the club in the past fifty years. The most famous are:

1- Ahmed Saleh Al-Habib 2- Ali Ahmed Al-Mousa 3- Khoder Al-Ibrahim 4- Sameer Mohammed Al-Nasir 5-Kumail Ali Alibrahim 6-Mohammed Ghallab 7- Mohammed Hassan Ibrahim ( Current Chairman)

Current board members

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The current board of directors of the club was elected in August 2023 at the general assembly meeting. The assembly elected the president and eight (8) board members as follows:

President and chairman of the Board Mohammed Hassan Ibrahim
Vice President, Board Member Kumail Ali Alibrahim
Secretary General & Media Committee Head, Board Member Khoder Ali Alabas
Football Committee Chairman, Board Member Jawad Mohammed Al mohaisen
Sports Committee Chairman, Board Member Mujahed Yassen Alyassen
Sport Committee Vice Chairman, Handball Committee Chairman, Board Member Mohammed Jawad Alsafwani
Legal Committee Chairman, Board Member Habib Zaki Alsaeed
Finance Committee Head, Board Member Ahmed Hamza Alhashim
Investment Committee Chairman, Board Member Deyab Saeed Fardan

Coaching Staff

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Position Name
Manager   Carlos Pinto
Assistant Managers   Abdullateef Al-Hussaini
  Salman Al-Qahtani
Goalkeeper Coach   Ben Othmen Fahmi
Fitness Coach   Younes Al-Bakhit
Match Analysis   Khalid Al-Azmi
Performance Director   Abdulaziz Al-Masoudi
Team Doctor   Bandar Al-Jaadi
Physiotherapists   Rayan Al-Nakhli
Kit Manager   Osama Baessa

Sports accomplishments

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Al-Safa Club champions have accomplished several high achievements on the single and team games at the local and international levels. Some of these are listed below

Football

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After almost 60 years in the third division, Al-Safa football team was able to win the third division's league in 2011 and qualified to the second division. The team didn't stay long in the second division and was able to qualify to the Saudi's League first division for professionals in 2014 for the first time in History.

Championship Position President Team Captain Team Manager
Saudi's League Third Division First Place   Sameer Al-Nasir   Mofeed Salah   Redha Al-Janabi
Saudi's League Second Division Second Place   Ali Al-Mousa   Habib Al-Ahmad   Redha Al-Janabi

Athletics

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In Athletics, Al-Safa Club has produced many champions on the local and international levels. The most famous of them all is the Asian Long Jum record holder Mohammed Al-Khuwalidi who owns the Asian record of 8.48 (List of Asian records in athletics) m in long Jump that he was able to achieve in France in 2006. The other athletics champions who also participated in the World's Championship and/ or the Olympic games include: Asem Al-Hizam in Decathlon, Abdullah Taher in High Jump, Hashim Al-Shorafa in 400 meters and Hussain Asem in Pole Vault

The Saudi records are registered under Al-Safa champions in the following:

Name[1] Game Saudi Record
 Mohammed Al-Khuwalidi Long Jump 8.48 Meter
  Hussain Asem Al-Hizam Pole Vault 5.70 meter

Swimming

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In swimming, the most famous Saudi swimmer in history (Alawi Maki) is the dominant figure in the club. Alawi was the first Saudi and Middle Eastern swimming who successfully crossed the English Channel between UK and France. He broke the English Channel crossing record and accompanied him in this achievement the late Saleh Ajaj, Malik Shaker, Fakher Al-Sadah, Saeed Quraish and the current club's vice president Dheya Al-Asaad.[2]

Handball

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Al-Safa club is one of Saudi's best teams in Handball. The team has accomplished several advanced positions in the league and club and the team members participated with the Saudi National Team in world cup several times. Among those who participated in the world cup: Hashim Al-Shorafa, Ali AL-Dawood, Bashir Qurainawi, Mohammed Al-Zayer, Hussain Henabi and Mohammed Nasfan.

Championship[3] Position Team's Captain
Prince Sultan Bin Fahad Cup 1998 Second Place   Hashim Al-Shorafa
Prince Faisal Elite Cup 2002 Third Place Bashir Qurainawi

Volleyball

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Al-Safa club remained for several decades among the best three clubs in volleyball in Saudi (in addition to Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal). Several Team players have participated with the national Saudi team including: Nouri Al-Sadah, Abdulkarim Al-Fraid, Yahya Al-Marhoon and Faiz Al-Dawood.

Squash

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In Squash, Al-Safa team is one of the best teams in Saudi Arabia. The players have participated with the national Saudi team in the regional and international competitions. Among those: Fadi Henabi, Akram Al-Safwani, Ali Quraish and Hussain Al-Sadiq

Current squad

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As of Saudi First Division League:

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
7 MF   KSA Habib Al-Ahmed
8 MF   KSA Ahmed Al-Anzi
10 FW   KSA Mohammad Al-Sahlawi
11 MF   KSA Saeed Al-Zahrani
12 DF   KSA Hazim Al-Zahrani
14 MF   KSA Hussain Al-Shurafa
15 MF   KSA Abdulwahab Jaafer
16 DF   KSA Abdullah Khalifah (on loan from Al-Ettifaq)
17 DF   KSA Aseel Abed
18 DF   KSA Mohammed Al-Saleh
19 DF   KSA Hassan Al-Jubairi
20 MF   BRA Maicon Douglas
21 GK   KSA Moslem Al Freej
22 GK   KSA Hassan Al-Ahsaei
23 DF   KSA Hassan Al Farid
No. Pos. Nation Player
24 DF   KSA Mishari Al-Qumaizi
25 DF   KSA Ahmed Al-Alwan
31 MF   KSA Abdulmohsen Burayk
42 MF   KSA Hamed Fallatah
48 MF   KSA Abdullah Othman
69 MF   KSA Salem Al-Saleem
70 FW   COL Danilo Asprilla
74 MF   KSA Abdulmohsen Al-Qahtani
77 MF   KSA Baraa Softah
79 GK   KSA Hussain Emad
88 FW   KSA Jawad Okeek
92 FW   COL Luis Hinestroza
93 MF   ROU Alexandru Albu
96 DF   KSA Saleh Al-Nashmi
99 FW   BRA Fabinho

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "الأرقام القياسية السعودية لألعاب القوى للرجال". Archived from the original on 2016-01-24. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  2. ^ "تمساح العرب و قاهر المانش يبوح بما في خاطره لـعكاظ". Archived from the original on 2009-10-31. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  3. ^ سجلات موقع الإتحاد السعودي لكرة اليد