The Paris games may host a variety of gaming events with medals up for grabs. On Saturday, the inclusion of eSports in future Olympic Games was discussed during the sixth Olympic Summit.
Gaming is extremely popular throughout the world but nowhere more so than in Asia. The 2022 Asian Games will be holding eSports as a medal event. The Asian Games are second in size and scope only to the Olympics, so expansion into that event is seemingly the next step.
This year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been talking with organizers of both the Paris Games of 2024 and the Los Angeles Games of 2028.
The press release from the summit stated : “Competitive ‘eSports’ could be considered as a sporting activity, and the players involved prepare and train with an intensity which may be comparable to athletes in traditional sports.”
There are plenty of opponents to the idea of including eSports in the Olympics. IOC president Thomas Bach said of the games “We want to promote non-discrimination, non-violence, and peace among people. This doesn’t match with video games, which are about violence, explosions and killing.”
The IOC has taken into account the importance of upholding the values of the Olympic Games. The IOC strongly upholds the ideas of peace, unity, and healthy competition.
Unfortunately, this discounts possible inclusion of any games such and League of Legends, DOTA or CS:GO. This may leave the door open, however, for games such as Rocket League and FIFA.
Additionally, before eSports can become an Olympic sport, there must be a regulatory organization in place to keep an eye on any gaming events.
Over the course of this year, eSports have been becoming more legitimized. Organizations have been receiving large sums in funding and professional leagues are beginning to take shape. Hopefully this is enough to convince the IOC to include eSports in the 2024 Games.
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