Saudi Arabia bid to host Asian Winter Games

Article posted by Coliseum, August 8^th, 2022

Image: Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee

The Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee (SOPC) has officially submitted a letter of interest to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) aiming to host the 10^th Asian Winter Games (AWG) in TROJENA (Saudi Arabia), NEOM’s global destination for mountain tourism.

‘Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee on Linked’ stated that in the letter included a brief of the ambitious Kingdom’s Vision 2030 which will support TROJENA to host one of the most significant sporting events in Asia, where more than 32 Asian countries are expected to participate, once the bid is validated, for the first time ever in West Asia.

The Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee builds a sustainable and athlete‐centric sport system that produces internationally competitive role models and inspires society to greater participation in sport.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45-member National Olympic Committees. The current Acting President is Raja Randhir Singh, substituting Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah. The headquarters of the OCA is located at Kuwait City, Kuwait.

The Asian Winter Games (AWG) is an international multisport event held every four years for members of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) which features winter events. The Japanese Olympic Committee first suggested the idea of holding a winter version of the Asian Games in 1982. Their efforts were rewarded when they were finally given hosting rights for the first edition that was held in Sapporo (Japan) in 1986, as the City had the infrastructure and expertise gained from hosting of the 1972 Winter Olympics.

TROJENA is part of NEOM’s regional plan, located 50 km from the Gulf of Aqaba coast in the heart of its nature region – with elevations ranging from 1,500m to 2,600m and covering an area of nearly 60 square kilometers.

TROJENA will offer year-round outdoor skiing and adventure sports to be completed in 2026, an unrivaled experience and a global landmark for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Highlights include a stunning man-made freshwater lake and ‘The Vault’. It is a folded village fusing technology, entertainment and hospitality – as the main gateway into TROJENA.

NEOM is a company which is wholly-owned by the Public Investment Fund, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund. Its objective is to develop the economic zone of Neom (a Saudi City being built in Tabuk Province in Northwestern Saudi Arabia). The project is planned to be totally powered by renewable energy sources.

Commented HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, President of SOPC, “The generous, unprecedented and visionary support by our wise leadership has attracted the most exciting sporting events to the heart of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The request to host the AWG affirms the geographical, environmental diversity and natural wealth that the Kingdom enjoys and is willing to share with our wider Asian Olympic family. We are very excited to welcome all Winter Sports enthusiasts in 2029, aiming to celebrate an incomparable experience in TROJENA.”

‘Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee on Linked’ further stated that TROJENA is part of NEOM’s strategy to contribute to supporting and developing the tourism sector in the region. Currently taking shape in the mountains of Northwest Saudi Arabia, TROJENA will feature unique and innovative architecture in a place where the captivating landscapes will coexist in harmony with the tourist sites. It will offer an experience unlike anything else in the world, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region’s first outdoor skiing.

The Executive Office of the Olympic Council of Asia, meanwhile, will meet in Cambodia on October 4^th before the convening of the General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia, which is considered the supreme body for approving decisions to grant hosting rights for the AWG.

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