Saudi Arabia, Olympic Council delay 2029 Asian Winter Games

[RIYADH] Saudi Arabia and the Olympic Council of Asia agreed to postpone the 2029 Asian Winter Games, dealing a blow to the Middle Eastern kingdom’s ambitions to become a major sports hub and centre for global events.

The decision to delay the games, which were set to take place at a desert ski resort in the planned Saudi mega city of Neom, follows “extensive consultations” between the two sides, according to a statement on Saturday (Jan 24).

The organisers did not offer further details on the reason for the move or say when the 2029 Asian Winter Games may eventually be held but said Saudi Arabia will host a number of other winter sports events in the coming years.

The two parties have “agreed on an updated framework for future hosting of the Asian Winter Games, confirming the postponement of the 2029 edition to a later date to be announced in due course”, they said.

Saudi Arabia and the OCA began approaching other countries last year, including China and South Korea, to potentially take over the 2029 games as the kingdom faced construction challenges and delays at the planned host site of Trojena, Bloomberg reported in August.

Trojena, estimated by business intelligence platform Meed to be a US$19 billion undertaking, was designed to feature ski slopes atop luxury hotel roofs in a remote area in the northwest with little natural snowfall. It was initially envisioned to be completed by 2026.

Difficulties creating sufficient artificial snow and constructing at high altitudes with complex topography were among the factors that raised concerns about Saudi Arabia’s ability to meet required deadlines ahead of the games, sources familiar said at the time.

The broader Neom project, of which Trojena is a part of, has also faced widespread challenges, including budget cuts as Saudi Arabia and the US$1 trillion sovereign wealth fund refocus their priorities to create more spending efficiencies in the face of lower oil prices.

While Saturday’s statement gives no indication the delay of the 2029 Asian Winter Games is related to Trojena or Neom, the event was slated to be the most critical test yet in the kingdom’s ability to complete an ambitious project in time to host a major international event.

SEE ALSO

Los Angeles Olympics hit US$2 billion in sponsorships, topping Paris games

The Gulf nation is due to host the World Expo in 2030 and the Fifa men’s World Cup in 2034, along with a string of other smaller events over the course of the next decade.

The Asian Winter Games usually feature Olympic-level athletes from China, Japan, South Korea, India and other nations. Previous tournaments attracted tens of thousands of fans for events including ice hockey, speed skating and snowboarding, in addition to skiing.

Neom did not respond to specific questions about the progress of construction at Trojena but said in a statement that it’s advancing projects in line with strategic priorities.

“Neom expressed its alignment with the decision taken by the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia regarding the revised approach on hosting of the Asian Winter Games,” according to a spokesperson. BLOOMBERG