The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is proposing the creation of the “Olympic Esports Games” at the 142nd IOC Session to be held during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The IOC EB has proposed the creation of the “Olympic Esports Games” to the IOC Session to be held in Paris during the European Summer. IOC members will vote on the proposal, while the IOC is already in advanced discussions with a potential host.
“With the creation of the Olympic Esports Games, the IOC is taking a big step forward and keeping pace with the digital revolution. We are very pleased to see how enthusiastically the Esports community, represented by our Esports Commission, has embraced this initiative. This is further proof of the appeal of the Olympic brand and the values it represents,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.
The governing body of the Olympic Movement has shown interest in esports since 2018, taking a holistic approach.
It has adopted a strategy that will allow the organisation to succeed in the esports space, while remaining true to the values that have guided the IOC for over a century. “When it comes to eSports, our values are and will remain the red line that we will never cross,” said the German, who has led the IOC since 2013.
The IOC’s first engagement with the esports community was the organisation of the 2018 Esports Forum in Lausanne, followed by the creation of an Esports Liaison Group as a platform to engage with all esports stakeholders.
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This was later transformed into the IOC Esports Commission, chaired by IOC member David Lappartient. In 2021, the IOC developed the Olympic Virtual Series, the IOC’s first pilot initiative in esports.
Continuing its progress in esports, the IOC launched the Olympic Esports Week in Singapore in June 2023, bringing together the Olympic and esports communities. Over 130 players from around the world gathered to compete in the Olympic spirit on the global stage in 10 mixed-gender events.
The players were cheered on by a packed house of fans in Singapore, with all the action streamed online. The Olympic Esports Series attracted more than 500,000 unique participants and generated more than six million views of live action across all channels, with 75% of views coming from people aged 13-34.
Following this success, last October the IOC President asked the Esports Commission to study the creation of the “Olympic Esports Games”.
An important part of the proposal is that it must be carried out under a completely new, dedicated structure within the IOC, clearly separated from the organisational and financial model of the Olympic Games.
In addition, the Executive Board emphasised that IFs already involved in an electronic version of their sport, which would be considered for inclusion in the “Olympic Esports Games”, would be the first partners of the IOC. The same will apply to National Olympic Committees that include esports in their activities.