Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (L) watches as reigning champion Andy Ruiz Jr. takes on Britain’s Anthony Joshua in a World Heavyweight Championship boxing match at the Diriyah Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 8, 2019.
17:59 JST, July 24, 2024
GENEVA (AP) — Saudi Arabia and the International Olympic Committee are teaming up for their first commercial deal with the oil-rich kingdom, which will host next year’s Esports Olympics.
The gaming partnership will last 12 years, “with regular Olympic Esports Games,” the International Olympic Committee said in a statement Friday. It did not specify the value.
The announcement was made during the two-month-long Esports World Cup in Riyadh.
The first formal host or sponsorship agreement between the IOC and Saudi Arabia is the latest addition to the kingdom’s extensive portfolio of sporting events. Confirmation is also expected in December that the 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup will be hosted by FIFA.
Sporting and entertainment events are an important part of Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 program, which aims to reduce the Saudi economy’s dependence on oil and modernize society.
Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal said the country “has become a global hub for professional esports.”
“This is a logical next step for our young athletes, our country and the global esports community,” said Prince Abdulaziz, who also heads the Saudi Arabian National Olympic Committee.
The IOC announced last month that it plans to host a video game Olympics in a bid to attract and retain young fans and audiences.
The Saudi deal must be signed by IOC members meeting in Paris on July 23-24, the eve of the Summer Games. Approval is usually a formality for projects proposed by the Olympic body’s leadership.
We are very pleased to be able to collaborate with the Saudi NOC on the Olympic Esports Games, as it has great – if not unique – expertise in esports with all its stakeholders, said Thomas Bach, President of the IOC.
Bach said last month that the video game event would have a separate financial model from the Summer and Winter Games, with revenues shared with the governing bodies of the sports in those programs.
Saudi Arabia has hosted a number of top boxing matches in recent years, including heavyweight title fights. In addition, the country has set up the LIV Golf project as a revolutionary competitor to the PGA Tour in the United States.
The kingdom will also host the 2027 Asian Cup for men’s football, the 2029 Asian Winter Games with a purpose-built ski resort, and the 2034 multi-sport Asian Games in Riyadh.
Critics of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record have said its involvement in international sport amounts to “sportswashing” to improve its reputation.
