The awarding of the Asian Winter Games in 2029 to Saudi Arabia, where snow is very rare, was not well received. The International Olympic Committee said it was not consulted on the decision. A surprising step was taken on Tuesday by the Congress of the Asian Olympic Council in Cambodia.
“It’s really scary. Apparently we haven’t learned our lesson at all,” legendary German skier Markus Wasmeier told the SID agency.
“It’s crazy that this can still be considered sustainable. What’s going on there is really bizarre,” said the two-time Olympic champion from Lillehammer 1994.
The Games are to be held at the Gulf’s first outdoor ski resort, called Trojena, which the country plans to complete by 2026. The complex will be part of the $500 billion futuristic city of Neom.
The ski resort at an altitude of around 2,500 meters above sea level will include an artificial freshwater lake and a nature reserve. Temperatures sometimes drop to zero in the area, but otherwise there is practically no precipitation.
After the reforms, the IOC is promoting the sustainability of the Games with the aim of reducing the costs of organizing them and limiting their scope in order to attract more people interested in the organization. It encourages the use of existing infrastructure and allows some competitions to be held outside the main venue. For example, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo will be spread over several centers.
“The IOC was not consulted on the allocation of the Asian Winter Games, nor was it involved in the decision-making process,” said a spokesman for the committee.
The Secretary General of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation Michel Vion called the decision surprising.
The French Ski Federation expressed itself very critically today in a joint statement with the mayors of mountain resorts in France. According to them, this decision is contrary to what is desirable for the planet.
“We are amazed that this event is planned to be held in a place that is poor in rainfall and water, where there are no ski resorts or slopes,” they said.
So far, the Asian Winter Games have always been held in countries where snow is not a rare phenomenon. Sapporo hosted them for the first time in 1986, where the last eighth edition was also five years ago. Meanwhile, China, Korea and Kazakhstan hosted the event.
Saudi Arabia, often criticized for human rights abuses, is using sports to improve its image. It will also host the Asian Summer Games in 2034 and wants to bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup together with Egypt and Greece.
