DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia have agreed to indefinitely postpone the 2029 Asian Winter Games, which were to have been held in a mountain resort in NEOM.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Olympic Council of Asia said the two bodies had agreed “to an updated framework for future hosting” of the games, which will be postponed “to a later date to be announced in due course.” It did not provide a reason.
Instead, Saudi Arabia will host a series of standalone winter sports events in coming years, the statement said. It added that the decision came after “extensive consultations between the two organizations and reflects a shared strategic commitment to the long-term and sustainable development of winter sports in Saudi Arabia and across the West Asia region.”
The games were to have been held in Trojena, planned as a year-round ski resort in the mountains of NEOM, a $500 billion project to build a new city in Saudi Arabia’s western desert on the Red Sea.
The Kingdom is slated to host a series of major events in coming years, including the 2030 World Expo in Saudi’s capital, Riyadh, and the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
The events are part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s sweeping Vision 2030 project that aims to modernize Saudi society and its economy, build a sports hosting portfolio and help diversify the economy from its reliance on oil.
At its core is spending on sports by the $900 billion sovereign wealth operation, the Public Investment Fund.
2029 Asian Winter Games at NEOM postponed
https://arab.news/j494b
2029 Asian Winter Games at NEOM postponed
- Instead, Saudi Arabia will host a series of standalone winter sports events in coming years
Scotland shake up team for Six Nations opener
- Kinghorn is replaced by Tom Jordan at fullback for their opening match of the tournament
- Townsend selected Jamie Dobie, who also plays at scrum-half, and Kyle Steyn on the wings instead
EDINBURGH: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has shaken up his starting line-up to take on Italy in the Six Nations in Rome on Saturday, leaving out regular fullback Blair Kinghorn and their two top try scorers when he named the team on Thursday.
Kinghorn is replaced by Tom Jordan at fullback for their opening match of the tournament, while Darcy Graham was relegated to the bench and Duhan van der Merwe left out.
Van der Merwe has a record 35 tries for Scotland, with Graham one behind him, but Townsend selected Jamie Dobie, who also plays at scrum-half, and Kyle Steyn on the wings instead. Left wing Dobie gets his first Six Nations start.
“Blair, Duhan and Darcy have had some terrific games for us and they’re very proud of playing for Scotland,” Townsend said at a press conference.
“But there’s competition in that back-three area like there is in other positions and we feel Jamie, Kyle and Tom deserve their starts given how well they’ve been playing.
Townsend praised the three who were dropped as “quality players.”
“If or when they get back into the squad or they get an opportunity off the bench, like Darcy will on Saturday, we know we’re going to have hungry players desperate to get back in the starting team,” the Scotland coach added.
“But for now, we’re really pleased with that back three, how they’ve been playing but also how they’ve been combining in training.”
The injured trio of Ewan Ashman, Jack Dempsey, and Jamie Dobie have all recovered in time to make the line-up after being injury doubts last weekend.
Huw Jones, who played for the British & Irish Lions in Australia last year, is returning to the Scotland set-up after missing the November tests as he recovered from surgery on his Achilles tendon. He will partner captain Sione Tuipulotu in what will be the 18th test match the pair have played together, including for the Lions.
There is also a return for prop forward Zander Fagerson while Scott Cummings, who missed last year’s championship through injury, returns to Six Nations action alongside Grant Gilchrist in the second row.
Nine of the players in the starting line-up come from Glasgow Warriors with another five on the bench, reflecting the stellar season Scotland’s top team are having.
Team: 15-Tom Jordan, 14-Kyle Steyn, 13-Huw Jones, 12-Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11-Jamie Dobie, 10-Finn Russell, 9-Ben White, 8-Jack Dempsey, 7-Rory Darge, 6-Matt Fagerson, 5-Grant Gilchrist, 4-Scott Cummings, 3-Zander Fagerson, 2-Ewan Ashman, 1-Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16-George Turner, 17-Nathan McBeth, 18-Elliot Millar Mills, 19-Max Williamson, 20-Gregor Brown, 21-George Horne, 22-Adam Hastings, 23-Darcy Graham.
