Saudi International golf event postponed but Asian Cup on track still
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Smoke and flames rising from King Khalid International Airport, after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis attacked the airport in Riyadh on Oct 8.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- The Asian Tour postponed the US$5 million Saudi International after deadly attacks in Riyadh made it hard to host the event safely and properly.
- Asian football organisers said the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia is still on schedule, though officials will keep watching security and may change plans if needed.
- Other sports have also been affected, with Australia withdrawing from the urban cycling World Championships and Saudi travel advisories tightened after recent security incidents.
AI generated
The Asian Tour postponed its season-ending Saudi International indefinitely on Oct 16 in the aftermath of a deadly attack on the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, where the golf tournament was scheduled to take place in November.
Yemen’s Houthi militants have been firing ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi airports, ports and oil installations, including last weekend’s attack on the capital that killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300.
“The decision to postpone was taken following an assessment of the organisational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament and ensuring the event is delivered to a standard befitting its international stature,” an Asian Tour statement said.
The US$5 million (S$6.4 million) flagship event, which is sponsored by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), was scheduled to take place at Riyadh Golf Club from Nov 18 to 21.
“The PIF Saudi International is one of the most important events on the Asian Tour calendar and we look forward to seeing our players compete in Riyadh in the future,” Asian Tour commissioner Cho Minn Thant said.
But football’s Asian Cup is on track to take place in Saudi Arabia in early 2027, the local organisers said.
In view of the recent attacks, serious questions were being asked over whether the 24-team tournament could still go ahead in Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar from Jan 7 to Feb 5.
Asian football chief Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said earlier this week that a postponement of the continental championship until 2028 was possible if necessary, but the local organising committee (LOC) said on Oct 16 that they were sticking to the original schedule.
“Preparations across all organisational and operational areas are progressing according to the approved schedule, including work on venues, facilities and supporting services,” it said in a statement.
“(The LOC) will continue to monitor developments relevant to the tournament and ensure the appropriate conditions are in place for its successful delivery.”
But other sports have been hit.
The Urban Cycling World Championships scheduled for Nov 3-7 in Riyadh, which would have featured some of the world’s best riders in trials and BMX Freestyle, were cancelled soon after Australia withdrew its team citing safety concerns.
AusCycling said its decision was made “with the safety and well-being of our athletes and staff our highest priority”.
The Australian government is advising travellers to “reconsider” trips to Saudi Arabia in general and Riyadh’s airport in particular “due to recent security incidents”.
The Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament in Riyadh has already been moved from October to December, while FIFA on Oct 15 postponed the FIFAe Finals video game competition in the capital until an unspecified future date.
The Saudi government has invested heavily in sport through the PIF in recent years and the Asian Cup was pitched as an early rehearsal for hosting the men’s football World Cup in 2034.
According to a report on US news website Semafor earlier this week, PIF is preparing to tell FIFA that it will be scaling back stadium plans for the 2034 tournament as part of a broader review of domestic spending.
Reuters has contacted PIF for comment. REUTERS