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3h ago

IOC Ends Saudi Esports Partnership, Recasts Plan for Olympic Esports Games

The IOC will seek a new partnership model to deliver the inaugural Olympic Esports Games after canceling the Riyadh hosting deal.

The Eiffel Tower is seen through a net with a part of the logo of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games from the Trocadero square in Paris, France, July 3, 2024. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
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Before the deal between Saudi Arabia and the International Olympic Committee fell through, the first Olympic Esports Games were meant to be held in Riyadh in 2027. AP
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Overview

  • The IOC said it mutually agreed with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee to end cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games 14 months after announcing a 12-year deal.
  • Saudi Arabia will no longer host the first edition, which had shifted from an initial plan for this year in Riyadh to a 2027 target.
  • The Olympic body plans a new approach and partnership model with the stated goal of staging the inaugural event as soon as possible.
  • The Esports World Cup Foundation participated in the latest review, and the Games currently have no confirmed host or timeline.
  • Practical hurdles include negotiations with game publishers, national team and anti-doping frameworks, and the IOC’s non-violence criteria, while Saudi organizations continue separate esports initiatives.