A minor step towards allowing alcoholic drinks to be consumed in the kingdom was the opening of the first alcohol store in the capital, Riyadh, last year, serving exclusively non-Muslim diplomats.
Dubai:A Saudi official denied on Monday media reports saying the kingdom, the birthplace of Islam, would lift its 73-year-old ban on alcohol, which is prohibited for observant Muslims.
The report, which was picked up by some international media after it appeared on a wine blog last week, said Saudi authorities planned to allow the controlled sale of alcohol as the country prepares to host the 2034 soccer World Cup. It did not give a source for the information.
The report sparked a vigorous online debate in the conservative kingdom, whose king also holds the title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques - Islam's most revered places in Mecca and Medina.
Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, is pushing a series of reforms to open up the country for tourism and business, as part of an effort to strengthen non-oil sectors of the economy.
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