Lausanne, Switzerland, June 15, 2024: IOC Executive Board is proposing the creation of the Olympic Esports Games to the 142nd IOC Session, which will be held during the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The IOC is already in advanced discussions with a potential host, and an announcement can be expected very soon after the last formalities have been finalised.
“With the creation of Olympic Esports Games, the IOC is taking a major step forward and is keeping up with the pace of the digital revolution,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.
“We are very excited how enthusiastically the esports community represented in our Esports Commission has engaged with this initiative. This is further proof of the attractivity of the Olympic brand and the values it stands for.”
The IOC has been engaging with esports since 2018 and in June 2023 held Olympic Esports Week in Singapore. Over 130 players from across the globe came together to compete in the Olympic spirit on the global stage in 10 mixed-gender category events.
Players were cheered on by a full house of fans in Singapore, with all the action streamed online. Including the qualifiers, the Olympic Esports Series attracted over 500,000 unique participants and generated more than six million views of live action over all channels, with 75 per cent of views from people aged 13 to 34. (Olympics.com)