The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced the end of its partnership with the Saudi Arabian National Olympic and Paralympic Committees to organize the esports Olympics, Reuters reports.

In 2024, the parties announced a joint hosting of the Esports Olympics in Saudi Arabia. The event was initially planned for 2025, but was later postponed to 2027. The Olympics was to be part of a 12-year partnership between the IOC and the kingdom, which included the regular staging of similar tournaments.

According to the IOC statement, each party will now independently implement its esports initiatives. The Committee will develop a new approach to hosting the Esports Olympics, but the dates and venue have not yet been determined.

The IOC began engaging with the esports community in 2018, when it held a forum in Lausanne. Following this, a dedicated department was created, which was transformed into a separate esports commission in 2023.

The first virtual Olympic Games took place in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The program included Gran Turismo Sport, the cycling simulator Zwift, and the sailing event Virtual Regatta. The selection of disciplines drew criticism from the community, who called it "completely random." The re-run, planned for 2022, was replaced by an esports Olympics concept.