The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has reaffirmed that preparations for the 2029 Asian Winter Games in Saudi Arabia are progressing “on schedule”, amid reports suggesting that the kingdom may be forced to hand over hosting duties to another nation.
Concerns have been growing over Saudi Arabia’s ability to deliver the event on time at its ambitious NEOM project, after the Financial Times reported the desert nation was struggling to complete construction of the Trojena ski resort, the Games’ central venue. The report claimed Saudi officials had considered delaying the Games or relocating them to either South Korea or China.
However, the Kuwait-based OCA issued a statement on Sunday expressing confidence in the kingdom’s progress.
“We are pleased with the strong progress being made, as we closely monitor the on-schedule work from the LOC (local organising committee),” the OCA said. “We appreciate the bold ambition of the venue and the opportunities it will create as a new winter sports destination serving the future of sport in Asia.”
Saudi Arabia’s winning bid to host the Games, approved unanimously by the OCA in 2022, was met with scepticism by environmental groups due to the nation’s desert climate and the enormous energy demands of constructing a year-round winter sports complex. The resort at Trojena, part of the $500 billion NEOM megacity, is intended to host skiing, snowboarding, and other winter events in a region where snowfall is virtually non-existent.
In light of construction delays, reports emerged that South Korea and China, both recent Winter Olympic hosts, had been informally approached as potential backups. South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, was contacted by the OCA to gauge interest.
Asked on Friday whether China might step in, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, “I haven’t heard of the situation you mentioned. We support Saudi Arabia in hosting the next Asian Winter Games.”
China hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and staged the Asian Winter Games in Harbin earlier this year. South Korea, meanwhile, hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
Despite the speculation, the OCA remains officially committed to Saudi Arabia’s plans and timelines, though questions over the feasibility of a winter sports event in the middle of a desert persist.