The Asian Winter Games, scheduled to be hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2029, has been postponed indefinitely.
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC), said a date for the 10th edition of the Asian Winter Games – the first to be held in West Asia – would be announced “in due course”.
No reason for the postponement has been given although there has been recent speculation that the venue of the Winter Games – the futuristic NEOM city – would be unable to deliver Trojena, the promised ski resort, in time for the 2029 window.
Saudi authorities took on the challenge of building a ski resort in the desert and sought technical expertise from China, Japan and South Korea – nations which have previously hosted the Asian Winter Games.
However, the joint SOPC and OCA statement said an "updated framework" will now see Saudi Arabia host a "series of standalone winters sports events" in the coming years.
It added: "These competitions are designed to promote winter sports, broaden participation, and develop a stronger pipeline of athletes, technical officials, and practitioners, while providing additional preparation time to support wider regional representation at future Asian winter events.”