The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday officially designated Saudi Arabia to host the future Olympic Games (Olympics) of eSports (e-sport) between 2025 and 2037, unanimously giving it a temporary monopoly unprecedented in Olympic history.
By show of hands and without abstentions or opposition, the 142e The session held in Paris ratified the partnership announced on July 12 between the Lausanne body and the Saudi National Olympic Committee, which is assured of hosting this new competition for 12 years.
“There will be physical sports games and electronic sports games,” David Lappartient, chairman of the sports committee, summed up before the assembly.e-sport within the IOC, responsible since October 2023 for thinking about a dedicated event.
Regarding the frequency, the Frenchman explained that his commission had recommended “every two years”, therefore every odd non-Olympic year, but that this point remained “to be examined”. “We will see how all this can be made concrete by our Saudi friends”, he indicated.
The oil monarchy is further strengthening its influence in sporting geopolitics, as it is increasingly hosting competitions (football, Formula 1, horse riding, boxing) and is due to win the 2034 Soccer World Cup at the end of the year – it is the only one in the running.
More unexpectedly and widely criticized, the country is to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in its futuristic Neom complex under construction, a colossal project driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who intends to develop business and tourism to reduce the kingdom’s dependence on revenues from black gold.
IOC President Thomas Bach confirmed on Tuesday that the structure of these eSports Games would be “completely separate” from that of the traditional 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 in sporting power of the Gulf kingdom, suspected by its detractors of seeking to divert international attention from its human rights violations, the German leader also assured that this partnership would be “in total conformity with the Olympic Charter and the Olympic values”.
Ten days ago, the Lausanne body had insisted on the “rapid development” of Saudi women’s sport, the “regulatory reforms” guaranteeing 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 selected for the national team.