 There are rumors, possibly, of a Saudi Arabian 2036 Olympic bid. That's Simon Chadwick, a professor of sports and geopolitical economies at Skema Business School in France. Chadwick says that more niche sports like horse racing and falconry have long been part of Saudi Arabia's culture. But it wasn't until the latter part of the 20th century that soccer, or in Europe what's known as football, really took off.