The Olympic Council of Asia on Thursday welcomed the official request submitted by the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee to host the ninth Asian Winter Games in Trojena, NEOM in 2029, Arabic language daily Arriyadiyah reported.
The Kuwait-based council said in a press statement: “The general assembly scheduled to be hosted in Cambodia on October 4 will make the decision on the (Saudi) Kingdom’s bid to host the tournament, which launched its first edition in Japan in 1986, and is considered the largest sports winter event in the Asian continent.” The council praised the efforts to promote winter sports in countries that do not have a traditional snow season, particularly in a city that is characterized by distinctive and innovative architecture: “It will provide a unique experience in West Asia and Middle East region for winter sports.” It also highlighted that the city in northwest Saudi Arabia, which is being developed as a winter sports destination within the framework of the country’s’s Vision 2030 program, is a place where natural landscapes coexist with tourist sites.
After submitting the official bid on Wednesday, President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said: “The bid 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.”