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The International Olympic Committee and Saudi Arabia have decided to end their 12-year Esports partnership after just one year, deciding to pursue separate projects, the IOC announced on Thursday. Two years before the first Olympic Esports Games were scheduled to take place in Riyadh, the IOC reported that discussions with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee concluded, ending the partnership 14 months after the 12-year deal was announced during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Recently, the two parties and the Esports World Cup Foundation reviewed the initiative and mutually agreed to end their cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games. Both parties are committed to pursuing their own Esports ambitions independently. The IOC has been exploring Esports for several years, establishing a dedicated commission to find ways to engage younger generations involved in gaming. With its traditional audience ageing, the IOC aims to connect with younger potential Olympics fans. It hoped that collaborating with Saudi Arabia on Esports would provide the necessary boost, considering the country’s own sporting ambitions. Saudi Arabia has invested billions in sports events, such as soccer, Formula One, boxing, and golf, with critics accusing the country of “sportswashing” due to its human rights record. The kingdom, which will host the 2034 soccer World Cup and has aspirations to host the summer Olympics, has denied accusations of human rights abuses. The IOC will develop a new approach to the Olympic Esports Games and pursue a new partnership model. This approach aims to better align the Olympic Esports Games with the long-term ambitions of the Olympic Movement and to broaden the opportunities presented by the Olympic Esports Games, with the objective of holding the inaugural Games as soon as possible.
