Saudi Arabia Funds “Maternity Leave” for LGBT Athletes While Citizens Face Taxes and Rising Prices
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is financing a maternity initiative for female tennis players worldwide, raising questions about national priorities amid economic hardships at home.
Watan-In a move that surprised many Saudis, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced funding for a new program that grants female tennis players 12 months of paid maternity leave. However, the real shock came from the eligibility criteria, which include mothers through adoption, surrogacy, and even same-sex couples who choose non-traditional paths to parenthood.
The program, funded directly by Saudi oil revenues, is retroactively effective from January 1 and covers over 300 players worldwide. It also finances fertility treatments such as egg freezing and artificial insemination—an unprecedented step in women’s sports. According to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), this is the first time independent female athletes and freelancers have been offered comprehensive maternity benefits.
While such generous support is provided to female tennis players globally, Saudi women continue to face severe restrictions on freedom of expression and are denied many basic rights. Saudi activist Dana Maayouf questioned: “Why is the Saudi government funding maternity benefits for Western tennis players while arresting activists for demanding women’s rights at home?”
Saudi Arabia’s Global Image vs. Domestic Struggles
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who aims to present Saudi Arabia as a “progressive” nation aligned with global agendas, is using the Public Investment Fund as a tool to polish his international image rather than addressing domestic crises such as the rising cost of living, increasing taxes, and declining public services.
This move is not entirely unexpected, especially after Saudi Arabia secured hosting rights for the Women’s Tennis Finals for the next three years and confirmed its bid for the 2034 World Cup, where bin Salman stated that LGBTQ+ individuals would not be barred from entering the kingdom. It appears that the Saudi regime is attempting to rebrand itself globally through sports, but at the expense of its own citizens and their resources.
As Saudis struggle with inflation, soaring prices, and tax burdens, the government continues to spend billions on initiatives unrelated to the Saudi people. Has oil wealth become merely a tool for the regime to serve global agendas with no tangible benefit to its citizens?
