Sports Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Alwaleed Alkeaid Of Saudi Sports Professionals Network Is Helping To Change Our World

Discipline outperforms motivation. Motivation is a mood; discipline is a system that runs when the mood is missing.

As a part of our series about sports stars who are making a social impact, I had the pleasure of interviewing Alwaleed Alkeaid.

Alwaleed Alkeaid is an award-winning Saudi entrepreneur, global keynote speaker, and Forbes-recognized change-maker. He has led four national sport bodies, including CEO of the Saudi Boxing Federation and Saudi Hiking, Vice Chairman of the Saudi Gymnastics Federation, and advisor to regional federations and mega-events. Today he directs Planning and Development for the Asian Yogasana Sport Federation, guiding 30 National Olympic Committees, and leads the 25,500-member Saudi Sports Professionals Network.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you share with us the “backstory” that led you to your career path in professional sports?

I was the kid who didn’t do sports. After high school I moved to Canada to study computer science, spending most days on online games and most nights sleeping at a library table, drifting with no real ambition. One late-night search for inspiration changed everything. I watched the story of Team Hoyt, a father who pushed, pulled, and carried his quadriplegic son through a full Ironman. The first words on screen were “I Can,” and for the first time I asked if I could, too. That clip, plus a series of personal-development workshops, jolted me awake. I listed every fear I had: open-water swimming, a marathon, public failure, and decided to confront them in one shot. I logged more than 6,500 kilometers of swim, bike, and run in under twelve months and in 2010 crossed the finish line in Penticton, Canada, as the first Saudi to complete the race. I dedicated every kilometer to raising funds and awareness for Saudi Arabia’s Disabled Children’s Society. The transformation was so powerful that I pivoted my career toward sport. If disciplined movement could rewrite my story, it could rewrite a nation’s, and that conviction still drives my work in sports development.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your career? What were the lessons or takeaways that you took out of that story?

A friend dared me to skydive to get comfortable with discomfort. I feared heights. Boarding the plane felt like a rocket launch. The moment my feet left the door, fear turned into freedom. Lesson: anticipation hurts more than action.

What would you advise a young person who wants to emulate your success?

Serve first. Hold a stopwatch, translate a coaching manual, set up cones. Service earns trust faster than any resume. Seek breadth early by working in gyms, events, and federations so you can later speak marketing, coaching, and finance. Keep one bold athletic goal alive; your own sweat keeps policy human.

Is there a person that made a profound impact on your life? Can you share a story?

My mother and father. When I called from Canada to say I was trading late-night gaming for a shot at Ironman, they were surprised but never discouraged me. My father wired money so I could buy a proper tri-bike and basic gear. My mother’s support was steady in every call: “Stay strong and remember why you started.” They flew to Penticton for race day, cheered at multiple checkpoints, and met me at the finish. Crossing that line felt like a family achievement. Their example still guides my leadership: match bold ambition with tangible support, then show up on the sidelines.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about what it is like being a professional sports player?

Myth 1: Athletes are selfish. The best ones are community obsessed; their circle widens as the stage grows.

Myth 2: Talent conquers all. Logistics and mental health decide more careers than VO2 max.

Myth 3: Retirement equals irrelevance. Competitive discipline can build enterprises and policies.

Ok super. Let’s now move to the main part of our discussion. How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting causes you are working on right now?

My mission is simple: use sport to lift people and communities. I support community sport by helping schools, clubs, and municipalities create affordable, welcoming entry points. That includes coach education, equipment drives, and clear participation pathways. I spread wellness by turning complex ideas into daily habits through short videos, live talks, and challenges that get people walking, stretching, and training at home. I work in global sport promotion through my role at the Asian Yogasana Sport Federation, helping 30 countries integrate yoga sport into health programs and talent systems. I raise awareness on social media by sharing real stories from the field. I help individuals through mentoring entrepreneurs, coaches, and student leaders on careers, ethics, and impact, and I volunteer for community events and charity campaigns whenever I can. Right now I am focused on expanding these efforts while growing the 25,500-member Saudi Sports Professionals Network to connect more people with meaningful roles in sport.

What methods are you using to most effectively share your cause with the world?

I work on three fronts. First, public speaking at sports forums and professional conferences where I share practical playbooks leaders can apply the next day. Second, media and social: articles, short videos, and interviews in Arabic and English. Each post ends with one simple action so people move from inspiration to motion. Third, systems work. At the Asian Yogasana Sport Federation I help countries build programs that link schools to elite sport. Through the Saudi Sports Professionals Network I connect coaches and executives to roles where they can serve communities. Partnerships with ministries, universities, and NGOs help these messages travel further.

Can you share with us the story behind why you chose to take up this particular cause?

Sport changed my life. I was a directionless student until I saw Team Hoyt. I trained more than 6,500 kilometers in under a year, finished the full Ironman in Penticton in 2010 as the first Saudi, and dedicated it to the Disabled Children’s Society. Later I climbed Kilimanjaro to support orphans. Those experiences proved that movement can rewrite identity and open doors for others. Since then my purpose has stayed the same: grow community sport, spread wellness, promote sport globally, raise awareness online, and help individuals through mentoring and volunteering.

Can you share with us a story about a person who was impacted by your cause?

My brother is the most personal proof. At 29 he weighed almost 140 kilograms and was exhausted after a single flight of stairs. He supported me during Ironman but believed he was not an athlete. I invited him into my beginner workouts. We started with a ten-minute walk after dinner, tracking steps and exchanging screenshots for accountability. When he hit 5,000 steps consistently, I sent him a three-move body-weight circuit he could do beside the couch. Every two weeks we added one habit: swap soda for water, stand during phone calls, prep lunches on Sunday. After twelve months he was down 30 kilograms. Two years later he had lost almost half his body weight, reversed pre-diabetes, and inspired friends at work to join him. His story confirms what I tell every audience: you do not need an Ironman medal to rewrite your health story; you need one doable step repeated until it becomes identity.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why.

• Discipline outperforms motivation. Motivation is a mood; discipline is a system that runs when the mood is missing.
• Sport is a lifelong passport. Keep training and doors open in business, networking, and mental health.
• Health is compound interest. Small daily choices today prevent decades of regret tomorrow.
• Your library is your real coach. One great book can beat a month of trial and error.
• Walk the talk. People follow what they see you do long before they follow what you say.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

“60 Minutes for Movement.” Every school and workplace allocates one paid hour daily to organized physical activity. Choices are local, from desk yoga to futsal to family walks. Healthcare costs fall, companies gain resilient employees, and communities build social ties through shared effort.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you explain how that was relevant in your life?

I live by two lines. “Life is an adventure, live it.” It keeps me curious, saying yes to the unknown, from skydiving to launching grassroots programs. “Discipline is the key to success.” Discipline turns inspiration into daily reps, kilometers, and policy drafts. Curiosity sets the destination; discipline fuels the journey.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Politics, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

H.E. Yasir Al-Rumayyan. He sits at the intersection of investment and sport. I would share a blueprint to turn participation into public health and jobs: scale a one-hour movement policy across PIF companies, link school pathways to pro clubs, and convert major fan platforms into community activation weeks. With my roles at the Asian Yogasana Sport Federation and the 25,500-member Saudi Sports Professionals Network, I can pilot this in 90 days and measure outcomes that advance Vision 2030.

How can our readers follow you online?

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alkeaid

Website: www.alwaleedalkeaid.com

Instagram: instagram.com/coachwaleed

Thank you so much for these amazing insights. This was so inspiring

Sports Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Alwaleed Alkeaid Of Saudi Sports Professionals… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.