- City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
- Dubai 04:07 05:29 12:18 15:42 19:01 20:24
Saudi coach Frank Rijkaard gestures during the Group D 2014 Fifa World Cup Asian Qualifier against Australia in Melbourne in this February 29, 2012 file photo. (GETTY)
Saudi Arabia’s football coach Frank Rijkaard of the Netherlands emerged as one of the main topics of a heated debate by the Gulf kingdom’s appointed parliament on Sunday.
While he was apparently not aware his name came up during the debate, he was accused by some members of wasting state funds by receiving a monthly wage which is equivalent to the salary of 10 cabinet ministers.
One member of Shura said Rijkaard is costing the Ministry of Youth nearly SR800,000 (Dh790,000) a month and described this as a “waste of public funds,” according to the Saudi Arabic language daily Aleqtisadia.
“This is a waste of public funds in the Kingdom...the Dutch coach is costing us nearly SR800,000 a month, which is almost equivalent to the monthly salaries of 10 Saudi ministers,” the paper quoted the unnamed member as saying.
The paper said other members supported that view and called for ending what they described as mismanagement of state funds in the sport sector.
“One member called for expediting measures to privatise sport clubs in the country instead of demands by sport authorities for additional funds.”
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