The International Olympic Committee has announced that Saudi Arabia will host the inaugural Olympic Esports Games, the first of its kind, and they will be held in 2025.
The Esports Games were recently proposed by the IOC, though it will have to be approved from July 23rd to the 24th before the Paris Olympics. If approved, the agreement would last for at least 12 years.
“We are very fortunate to be able to work with the Saudi NOC on the Olympic Esports Games, because it has great – if not unique – expertise in the field of esports with all its stakeholders,” IOC President and former athlete and medalist Thomas Bach said. “The Olympic Esports Games will greatly benefit from this experience.”
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Minister of Sport and head of the Saudi Olympic Committee added, “Saudi Arabia is hugely excited by the prospect of partnering with the IOC and helping to welcome a completely new era for international sport.”
Critics pointed a finger at the announcement, accusing both Saudi Arabia and the Olympics of "sports-washing" and downplaying the country's violations of human rights.
The Middle Eastern nation has previously made inroads into the video game sector. The princes of Saudi Arabia have given gaming firms a lot of money; most notably, they have given at least $1 billion to companies like Capcom and Nexon. They have also bought a share in the publishing behemoth Embracer Group.
