WWE Release Statement On Crown Jewel Amid Growing Tensions
WWE Crown Jewel has been shaping up to be a mega-event, and considering the fact that the Crown Prince himself wanted to bring the WWE to Saudi Arabia, Shawn Michaels had agreed to come out of retirement for the event, eight years after calling it a day. As a part of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's Saudi Vision 2030 plan, WWE has agreed to put on multiple events in Saudi Arabia. However, the events that have unfolded over the past week have now thrown those plans into jeopardy.
On October 2nd, Washington Post journalist and Saudi national Jamal Khashoggi disappeared from the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Intelligence reports have since indicated that Khashoggi was killed, in what was possibly a state-ordered kidnapping gone wrong. With Jamal being a United States resident, the incident has resulted in the Democrats and Republicans calling for investigation into the alleged murder, while the President of the United States himself has alluded to the possibility of the Saudi government being involved in Jamal's reported assassination.
Washington Post reported yesterday that the Senate's top foreign policy lawmakers are now asking President Trump to impose sanctions against those who are found responsible for the journalist's disappearance, even if it includes the top officials from the Saudi government.
While WWE has remained tight-lipped about the situation, the organization released a statement to the media regarding the status of WWE Crown Jewel, saying, "We are currently monitoring the situation."
WWE had earlier visited Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with the Greatest Royal Rumble pay-per-view, and WWE Crown Jewel was scheduled to be WWE's second event in the region. We will update you on the status of WWE Crown Jewel as the story develops.