Saudi Arabia
The first Esports Olympic Games will be played in Saudi Arabia
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has signed a 12-year agreement with Saudi Arabia to hold the first Esports Olympic Games in 2025. This inaugural event aims to promote Olympic values, gender equality and attract young e-sports fan audience.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Minister of Sports of Saudi Arabia, stressed that this agreement marks a new chapter in Olympic history and aspires to inspire millions of athletes around the world. Saudi Arabia has emerged as a major player in the esports and video games scene, consolidating its position through acquisitions such as ESL Gaming and the FACEIT tournament platform in 2022, as well as significant investments in companies such as Electronic Arts, Embracer Group, Take-Two Interactive, Nexon, Capcom and Nintendo.
 
The agreement comes at a time of remarkable growth of sport in Saudi Arabia, with a significant increase in the sports participation of men and women. Currently, there are more than 330,000 registered female athletes and almost 40 national women's teams competing internationally. Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, a member of the IOC, expressed her enthusiasm for the growing interest of women in esports and highlighted the positive impact of sport on women and girls, in line with the country's 2030 Vision.
 
Dingnews.com 22/07/2024
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