The creation of the Olympic Esports Games was confirmed during the ongoing 142nd Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Paris on Tuesday, with the debut of the new competition scheduled for 2025 in Saudi Arabia.
"This is truly a new era for the IOC," said International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. "With the confirmation by the IOC Session of the creation of the Olympic Esports Games, we are keeping up with the pace of the digital revolution."
When asked if esports will be included in the Summer Olympics one day by CGTN Sports Scene's Greg Laffradi, Bach said discussions on the issue have been taking place "for a number of years." Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) President David Lappartient once suggested, according to Bach, that the physical demands for virtual and traditional cycling are "more or less" the same.
"With over 23.5 million gamers, many of whom are women, hosting the Olympic Esports Games in 2025 is a natural progression in our journey to open up Saudi Arabia to the world and the world to Saudi Arabia," she said.
Saudi Arabia has quickly become a hub for esports, hosting numerous international tournaments with significant participation and global viewership over the last two years.
I wonder if they will divide the categories by game or genre, also which games will make it in
Olympics?