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Esports World Cup Kicks Off in Saudi Arabia

The Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan. SPA
The Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan. SPA
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Esports World Cup Kicks Off in Saudi Arabia

The Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan. SPA
The Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan. SPA

The Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, has expressed confidence that the Esports World Cup held in the Kingdom will offer a unique experience, bringing together professionals, fans, and publishers to drive the industry forward and create exciting opportunities for all.

Prince Faisal spoke on Tuesday at a press conference in Riyadh to mark the opening of the Esports World Cup, taking place from July 3 to August 25. The tournament has garnered significant attention from the global gaming and esports community and is expected to make a substantial impact.

The CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, Ralf Reichert, described the tournament as "a remarkable celebration" that unites the international community through gaming and esports.

He highlighted that it represents a major step forward for the esports industry, promoting its growth and sustainability. Reichert expressed enthusiasm for the event's potential, where top esports clubs and players will compete for major prizes and the title of Esports World Cup champion.

Furthermore, the Chief Product Officer of the Esports World Cup, Faisal bin Homran, noted that there are currently 3.4 billion players worldwide.

"The upcoming tournament is an eagerly anticipated experience, and over the next eight weeks, it will lead to an unprecedented transformation in the gaming and esports landscape,” he said.

Homran invited people from around the world to witness the competition among global club players, making it a truly global celebration of excellence and fostering competition in the esports industry.

The Esports World Cup, taking place at Riyadh City Boulevard, positions Riyadh as a global destination for esports enthusiasts. With 22 championships in popular games and a prize pool exceeding $60 million, it offers the largest total prize pool in esports history.

Visitors can enjoy numerous events, activities, and interactive shows suitable for all ages, combining sports, entertainment, education, culture, and creativity.

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UEFA Suspends Türkiye Player Merih Demiral for 2 Games over Euro 2024 Nationalistic Gesture

Soccer Football - Euro 2024 - Round of 16 - Austria v Türkiye - Leipzig Stadium, Leipzig, Germany - July 2, 2024 Turkish Merih Demiral celebrates scoring their second goal with a 'wolf' salute REUTERS/Annegret Hilse Purchase Licensing Rights
Soccer Football - Euro 2024 - Round of 16 - Austria v Türkiye - Leipzig Stadium, Leipzig, Germany - July 2, 2024 Turkish Merih Demiral celebrates scoring their second goal with a 'wolf' salute REUTERS/Annegret Hilse Purchase Licensing Rights
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UEFA Suspends Türkiye Player Merih Demiral for 2 Games over Euro 2024 Nationalistic Gesture

Soccer Football - Euro 2024 - Round of 16 - Austria v Türkiye - Leipzig Stadium, Leipzig, Germany - July 2, 2024 Turkish Merih Demiral celebrates scoring their second goal with a 'wolf' salute REUTERS/Annegret Hilse Purchase Licensing Rights
Soccer Football - Euro 2024 - Round of 16 - Austria v Türkiye - Leipzig Stadium, Leipzig, Germany - July 2, 2024 Turkish Merih Demiral celebrates scoring their second goal with a 'wolf' salute REUTERS/Annegret Hilse Purchase Licensing Rights

UUEFA suspends Türkiye player Merih Demiral for 2 games for making nationalistic gesture at Euro 2024EFA. He was suspended for two matches on Friday for making a controversial hand gesture at the European Championship, an incident that has led to a diplomatic row between Turkey and host nation Germany.

The ban rules Demiral out of his team’s quarterfinal against the Netherlands on Saturday, and the semifinal, should Türkiye progress.

The Turkish Football Federation joined Turkish government officials in denouncing the suspension but said it can't appeal against it because it's under the three-game threshold. The leader of Türkiye's nationalist party called on the team to boycott Saturday's game and return home unless UEFA's “shameful decision” is reversed, The AP reported.

After scoring his second goal in Türkiye's round-of-16 win over Austria, Demiral made a sign with each hand that is used by Turkish nationalists and associated with the Turkish ultra-nationalist organization Ulku Ocaklari, which is more widely known as the Gray Wolves.

Demiral said it was an innocent expression of national pride and that he was hoping he’d have “more opportunities to do the same gesture again.”

But it was condemned as “racism” by German interior minister Nancy Faeser, and Cem Özdemir, a German politician of Turkish descent, said the gesture “stands for terror, fascism.”

Their comments led to a harsh rebuke from Turkish authorities and the summoning of the German ambassador on Wednesday.

UEFA said it banned Demiral “for failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sports events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football into disrepute.”

Speaking before the decision, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who changed plans to visit Azerbaijan so he can attend Saturday's quarterfinal, said the 26-year-old defender had merely expressed his “excitement” after scoring his second goal.

Turkish Football Federation president Mehmet Buyukeksi denounced the decision as being politically motivated and accused the European soccer body of “double standards.”

“When compared to the fines and suspended penalties for much more serious offenses, including racist behavior in the stands, this two-match ban is hugely disproportionate,” Hurriyet newspaper quoted Buyukeksi as saying.

Buyukeksi denied Turkish media reports that his federation would take the issue to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, saying the appeals channel was closed for less than three-match suspensions.

“Our right to appeal has been taken away from us with the two-match penalty,” he said.

Turkish Foreign Ministry said the decision "has reinforced the view that there is an increase in the tendency to act with prejudice against foreigners in certain European countries.”

Demiral was previously one of 16 Türkiye players reprimanded in 2019 for making military-style salutes at games at a time when the country was conducting a military offensive in Syria.

The Gray Wolves group was founded as the youth wing of far-right Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, which is currently in an alliance with Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party. In the decades following its founding in the 1960s, the group was accused of involvement in politically motivated violence, mostly against leftist groups.

MHP leader Devlet Bahceli said if UEFA’s “shameful decision” is not reversed, the team should skip Saturday's game.

“At this stage, it is a moral and national expectation that our national football team does not play in the Netherlands match and in this way, displays its democratic protest," he said.