The IOC Assembly voted unanimously to create the eSports Olympic Games, the first edition of which will be held in Saudi Arabia, the host country until 2037.
He International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially designated Saudi Arabia as the headquarters of the Olympic Games of eSports between 2025 and 2037, unanimously offering it a temporary monopoly unprecedented in Olympic history. By a show of hands and without abstentions or opposition, the 142nd session of the IOCheld in Paris, ratified the partnership announced on July 12 between the world sport’s governing body and the Saudi National Olympic Committee.
“There will be physical sports games and electronic sports games,” he summarized. David Lappartientpresident of the IOC’s eSports commission, which has been responsible since October 2023 for thinking up a specific event for the discipline. As for the periodicity of these Games, Lappartient explained that his commission had recommended “every two years”, i.e. every odd non-Olympic year, but that this point is still “to be examined”. “We will see how our Saudi friends can make all this a reality,” said the Frenchman.
This way, The oil monarchy is further strengthening its influence in sports geopolitics, increasing the number of competitions (football, Formula 1, horse riding, boxing) and should win at the end of the year – it is the only one in contention – the hosting of the 2034 World Cup..
Saudi Arabia expands its monopoly
Notably Saudi Arabia will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games at its futuristic Neom complex under construction, a pharaonic project promoted by the crown prince Mohammed bin Salmanwho aims to develop business and tourism to reduce dependence on oil revenues.
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IOC President, Thomas Bachconfirmed that the structure of these eSports Games would be “totally separate” from that of the classic Games and that they would be financed separately. The allocation of television rights will also give a good idea of the economic potential of the sector.
Aware of the controversies surrounding the rise of the sporting power of the Gulf kingdom, under scrutiny for its human rights violations, Bach He also assured that this partnership would be “in full compliance with the Olympic Charter and Olympic values.”
Ten days ago, the Lausanne body insisted on the “rapid development” of Saudi women’s sport, on “regulatory reforms” to guarantee female representation on the boards of directors of all sports federations (“more than 100 women appointed, including seven federation presidents”), as well as equal pay for male and female athletes.
Source: Ambito
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