Saudi Arabia made their debut at the Asian Winter Games in China this week and will controversially host the next edition in a move derided as "awful" by one Olympic skier and denounced by environmental groups.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in 2022 unanimously approved the desert kingdom's bid to stage the Games at its $500 billion megacity NEOM in 2029.

"It is awful for our sport," Olympic downhill silver medallist Johan Clarey previously told French radio.

Saudi Arabia will also host the football World Cup in 2034, part of a splurge on sports events which has triggered accusations of "sportswashing" of its rights record.

Saudi officials deny that and were in Harbin this week, with the vice president of the country's Olympic committee in the Chinese city to "watch and learn".

"Of course it would be a first for us, organising such an event," Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdul Aziz said in an OCA news release.

"But I can assure everyone that we will put on a good show."

Planners for the futuristic but........

© Al Monitor