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Turki Al-Sheikh criticizes The Athletic's report about him

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 1, 2026, 11:00 PM

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

Turki Al-Sheikh criticizes The Athletic's report about him

Summary

On April 24, 2025, The Athletic released a detailed profile on Turki Al-Sheikh, highlighting his influence in boxing and controversies surrounding his role as Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. Following a social media repromotion by The Athletic on July 29, 2026, Al-Sheikh expressed his displeasure, calling the report fictitious and accusing the publication of pushing lies. His comments triggered a notable online reaction, including the deletion of a response from The Ring’s social media. Al-Sheikh’s management of The Ring, once a prestigious boxing magazine, has faced scrutiny amid accusations of propaganda related to Saudi Arabia's sports initiatives.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•The Athletic's report details Al-Sheikh's rise and related controversies.
•Al-Sheikh is linked to both boxing and the Saudi government.
•His response to the report has gained significant attention online.
•Critics allege The Ring has become propaganda for Saudi sports initiatives.
•Al-Sheikh's influence is pivotal as Saudi Arabia prepares for the 2034 World Cup.

Latest Updates

11:00 PMYahoo Sports — Turki Al-Sheikh really doesn’t want anyone reading The Athletic’s special report about him

What they're saying

"
On April 24, 2025, The Athletic published a special report by Jacob Whitehead about Turki Al-Sheikh, the Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation. The over-3,500-word profile explores how he became a power broker in global combat sports and details the controversies behind his meteoric rise. Whitehead…
— Yahoo Sports

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