The International Olympic Committee has cancelled a 12-year deal with Saudi Arabia that would have seen the first-ever Olympic esports games hosted in Riyadh. The IOC said in a statement that the parties had "mutually agreed that they will end their cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games."
It's a rare kick in the teeth for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who's led a big push into videogames as part of an effort to burnish his reputation with the world at large, with the inaugural event due to have taken place this year before being pushed to 2027. Sporting events, and an official Olympic event in particular, are key parts of the Vision 2030 modernization drive whereby the oil-rich nation is chucking money at anything that might bring it a little more respectability on the world stage.
