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Saudi Arabia Wins Bid to Host 2029 Asian Winter Games at NEOM

Saudi Arabia has submitted an official bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in NEOM’s TROJENA. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia has submitted an official bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in NEOM’s TROJENA. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Wins Bid to Host 2029 Asian Winter Games at NEOM

Saudi Arabia has submitted an official bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in NEOM’s TROJENA. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia has submitted an official bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in NEOM’s TROJENA. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it has won a bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games at a planned mountain resort in the Gulf Arab state's $500 billion flagship NEOM project.

The TROJENA development is expected to be completed in 2026 and will offer outdoor skiing, a man-made freshwater lake and a nature reserve, according to the project's website.

"With the unlimited support by the Saudi leadership & HRH Crown Prince to the sport sector we are proud to announce we have won the bid to host AWG TROJENA2029 as the first country in west Asia," Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said on Twitter.

TROJENA is part of NEOM’s strategy to help support and develop 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 region’s first outdoor skiing.

NEOM is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's most ambitious project under the Kingdom's Vision 2030 development plan to reduce reliance on oil and transform the economy, including by developing sports.

NEOM, a 26,500-square-km (10,230-square-mile) high-tech development on the Red Sea, will include zero-carbon city "The Line", as well as industrial and logistics areas.

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Sports

SKorean Footballers Report Heat-related Symptoms, Call for Stronger Safeguards

Rain falls on a dried-up reservoir in drought-hit Miryang, about 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, South Korea, 16 August 2026. EPA/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT
Rain falls on a dried-up reservoir in drought-hit Miryang, about 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, South Korea, 16 August 2026. EPA/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT
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SKorean Footballers Report Heat-related Symptoms, Call for Stronger Safeguards

Rain falls on a dried-up reservoir in drought-hit Miryang, about 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, South Korea, 16 August 2026. EPA/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT
Rain falls on a dried-up reservoir in drought-hit Miryang, about 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, South Korea, 16 August 2026. EPA/YONHAP SOUTH KOREA OUT

South Korean professional footballers urged stronger protections against extreme heat after a survey by the Korea Pro-Footballers Association showed many players hit by dehydration, dizziness and temporary lapses in consciousness during competition.

It found 86.2% of respondents suffered significant physical strain while playing in the heat, among 536 players from the K League and WK League surveyed during a summer when pitch temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees F).

Nearly two-thirds (64.7%) complained of dizziness during matches or training, while 56.6% had severe dehydration, with 13% having lapses in consciousness.

"The fact that over 70 players ⁠experienced dizziness, dehydration, ⁠and even temporary loss of consciousness is a glaring red flag," KPFA President Lee Keun-ho, a former national team player, Reuters quoted it as saying in a statement.

The union called on the Korea Football Association (KFA), K League and WK League to introduce mandatory heat protocols, saying the current safeguards do not sufficiently ⁠protect players.

Almost half the respondents said they were dissatisfied with the current cooling-break system that usually gives players a break of just over three minutes once temperatures reach a specified threshold.

Nearly 90% supported changes to existing match operations during extreme heat. More than half favored later kick-off times, while others backed postponing or cancelling matches when heat advisories are in effect.

The union said women players often face additional challenges, with some matches ⁠scheduled during ⁠the hottest part of the day on artificial surfaces and at venues without adequate air-conditioned changing facilities.

"Playing under the scorching sun on artificial turf that traps and radiates heat is essentially forcing athletes into a furnace," KPFA Women's President Ji So-yun said.

"Just as professional baseball proactively cancels games for the heat, football needs to stop mechanically following a rigid schedule and actually prioritize player health and safety."

The KPFA said the findings should also prompt a broader discussion on South Korea's football calendar, with some players supporting a switch to an autumn-spring schedule.

Sports

Bayern's Musiala Diagnosed with Neurological Disorder after 2 On-field Collapses

Munich's Jamal Musiala, center, leaves the pitch due to an injury during a pre-season soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa via AP)
Munich's Jamal Musiala, center, leaves the pitch due to an injury during a pre-season soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa via AP)
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Bayern's Musiala Diagnosed with Neurological Disorder after 2 On-field Collapses

Munich's Jamal Musiala, center, leaves the pitch due to an injury during a pre-season soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa via AP)
Munich's Jamal Musiala, center, leaves the pitch due to an injury during a pre-season soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa via AP)

Bayern Munich midfielder Jamal Musiala said on Tuesday he has been diagnosed with a neurological disorder after collapsing during a match for the second time in four days.

The 23-year-old went down six minutes after coming off the bench in Bayern's 4-2 friendly win at Heidenheim and required medical attention before being assisted from the pitch.

The ⁠Germany international also ⁠collapsed during Bayern's 3-1 friendly victory over RB Leipzig on Saturday.

"I've been diagnosed with temporary, brief, but easily treatable absences caused by a neurological dysfunction," Musiala posted on ⁠Instagram.

"These can lead to episodes like the ones that occurred recently - such as against Leipzig or just now in Heidenheim.

"I know these can seem scary at first glance - but for me, they're currently part of my everyday life. I'm receiving the best medical care for this and am ⁠very ⁠optimistic,” Reuters quoted him as saying

Musiala added that doctors had ruled out any further health risks.

The midfielder, who has made 231 appearances for Bayern, was sidelined for six months last season after fracturing an ankle at the Club Cup, but he recovered to return later in the campaign and played for Germany at the 2026 World Cup.

Sports

Al-Nassr Defeats Al-Diriyah to Reach Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup Round of 16

Félix celebrates scoring Al-Nassr's fourth goal. (Al-Nassr on X)
Félix celebrates scoring Al-Nassr's fourth goal. (Al-Nassr on X)
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Al-Nassr Defeats Al-Diriyah to Reach Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup Round of 16

Félix celebrates scoring Al-Nassr's fourth goal. (Al-Nassr on X)
Félix celebrates scoring Al-Nassr's fourth goal. (Al-Nassr on X)

Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr secured a place in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup Round of 16 after a convincing 4-1 victory over Al Diriyah in their Round of 32 match at Alawwal Park in Riyadh on Tuesday.

Al-Diriyah took an early lead in the second minute through Óscar Rodríguez. However, Al-Nassr quickly responded with three goals from Mohamed Simakan in the 11th minute, João Félix in the 35th, and Abdullah Al-Hamdan in the 37th, ending the first half with a 3-1 lead.

In the 68th minute of the second half, Félix scored his second goal of the match and Al-Nassr's fourth.

Al-Nassr's coach Ange Postecoglou underscored his team's positive start, despite playing the match just two days after their previous encounter.

Postecoglou said his team conceded an early goal, but the players' reaction and the mentality helped them make a comeback and secure victory.

On Cristiano Ronaldo, Postecoglou said that Al-Nassr's captain is working very hard, noting his recent participation with the Portuguese national team in the World Cup.

He said he was training hard, expecting him to gradually feature prominently with Al-Nassr.