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IOC, Saudi Arabia Agree on 12-year Deal for Video Gaming Esports Olympics

A general view of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia, February 20, 2022. REUTERS/Mohammed Benmansour
A general view of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia, February 20, 2022. REUTERS/Mohammed Benmansour
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IOC, Saudi Arabia Agree on 12-year Deal for Video Gaming Esports Olympics

A general view of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia, February 20, 2022. REUTERS/Mohammed Benmansour
A general view of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia, February 20, 2022. REUTERS/Mohammed Benmansour

Saudi Arabia and the IOC are teaming up for their first commercial deal together with the kingdom set to host the Esports Olympics that launch next year.

The gaming partnership will be for 12 years “with Olympic Esports Games held regularly,” the International Olympic Committee said in a statement Friday.

The announcement was made during the two-month Esports World Cup being staged in Riyadh, The AP reported.

Saudi sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal said the country “has become a global hub for professional esports.”

"This is a natural next step for our young athletes, our country and the global esports community,” said Prince Abdulaziz, who also heads the Saudi national Olympic committee.

The IOC said last month it planned to launch video gaming Olympics to try to attract and retain young fans and audiences.

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Paralympic Triathlon Events Postponed Because of Poor Water Quality in Seine River

View of the Seine river where the triathlon competition has been cancelled, during the 2024 Paralympics, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP)
View of the Seine river where the triathlon competition has been cancelled, during the 2024 Paralympics, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP)
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Paralympic Triathlon Events Postponed Because of Poor Water Quality in Seine River

View of the Seine river where the triathlon competition has been cancelled, during the 2024 Paralympics, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP)
View of the Seine river where the triathlon competition has been cancelled, during the 2024 Paralympics, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP)

Paralympic triathlon competitions in Paris scheduled for Sunday have been postponed because of concerns about water quality in the Seine River after heavy rainfall, organizers said.

The 11 para triathlon events are now scheduled for Monday, if upcoming water testing allows, the Paris 2024 organizing committee and World Triathlon said in a joint statement.

Rainstorms hit the French capital Friday and Saturday. Heavy rains cause wastewater and runoff to flow into the river, leading to a rise in bacteria levels including E. Coli.

This is the second scheduled change for the para triathlon events. They had initially been scheduled to take place over two days, Sunday and Monday, but were moved to Sunday because of rain forecasts.

The disruption is another hiccup for the city’s efforts to clean up the river for future public swimming, one of Paris’ most ambitious promises ahead of hosting the Olympics and Paralympics this summer. The men's individual triathlon event during the Paris Olympics was delayed and several test swims were canceled because of high E. coli levels after rainfall.

Some Olympic triathletes fell ill after swimming in the Seine, though it is unclear whether that was linked to the river water.