Asian Winter Games 2029: Saudi Arabia and Olympic Council Agree on Postponement

Saudi Arabia and the Olympic Council of Asia have announced the postponement of the 2029 Asian Winter Games, which were scheduled to take place at a desert ski resort in Neom, Saudi Arabia.

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Saudi Arabia and the Olympic Council of Asia have made the decision to postpone the 2029 Asian Winter Games following extensive discussions. The Games, which were set to take place at a desert ski resort in Neom, Saudi Arabia, have been delayed, according to multiple reports from Bloomberg.

Bloomberg's Stuart Livingstone-Wallace reported on the development, stating that the reasons behind the postponement were not immediately clear. However, Livingstone-Wallace noted that the decision came following consultations between Saudi Arabia and the Olympic Council of Asia.

In a separate report, Bloomberg's Executive Editor for Middle East, North Africa, and Russia spoke to Joumanna Bercetche on Horizons Middle East and Africa. The editor confirmed the postponement and added that more details would be shared in due course.

The Asian Winter Games, which were due to be held in February 2029, were expected to attract athletes from across the Asian continent. The event would have marked the first time the Winter Games were held in the Middle East. The desert ski resort in Neom, which was to host the Games, was touted as a major tourist attraction and a symbol of Saudi Arabia's ambition to diversify its economy.

The postponement of the Asian Winter Games comes amidst a series of high-profile sporting events that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which were due to take place in July 2020, were postponed to July 2021 due to the pandemic. The decision to postpone the Asian Winter Games is likely to have a ripple effect on other planned events in the region and beyond.

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