The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently convened the Olympic Esports Games Publishers and Developers Forum at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. This pivotal event aimed to foster collaboration between sports and gaming experts, setting the stage for the inaugural Olympic Esports Games scheduled for 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A Vision for the Future of Esports
IOC President Thomas Bach and President-elect Kirsty Coventry welcomed over 120 guests from across five continents, including representatives from International Sports Federations (IFs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs), and leading game publishers and developers. The forum featured presentations, panel discussions, and open dialogues to explore the integration of esports into the Olympic Movement.
President Bach emphasized the shared commitment to innovation:
“Your presence here today — whether this is your first direct engagement with the Olympic Movement or a continuation of an earlier collaboration — reflects a shared commitment to build something new and meaningful, something with the power to inspire a new generation.”
Key Themes Explored
The forum delved into several critical areas:thestadiumbusiness.com+8reddit.com+8reuters.com+8
- Respect – Celebrating Esports Diversity: Discussions focused on building sustainable, culturally relevant esports ecosystems across various genres, highlighting platform trends, talent pathways, and community building.
- Friendship – Growing Sports Through Gaming: This session explored the synergy between traditional sports and esports, emphasizing fair play, integrity, and audience engagement.
IOC Member and Olympic Esports Games Steering Committee Chair Ser Miang Ng noted:
“Esports can help grow sport — just as sport can bring structure, values and inspiration into games.”
- Inclusion – Welcoming Everyone: The importance of diversity and accessibility in esports was highlighted, with discussions on breaking down barriers and promoting gender equality.
President Bach remarked:
“The Olympic Games Paris 2024 were the first Olympic Games in history with full gender parity, setting a global standard when it comes to empowering women in and through sport.”
- Innovation – Leveraging Technology for the Future of Sports: The role of emerging technologies like virtual reality, AI, and data analytics in transforming both sports and esports was examined.
- Community – Igniting Local Development: The session discussed how the Olympic Movement’s global network can support regional esports growth through community outreach and infrastructure development.
- Excellence – Striving to Be the Best: Olympic silver medallist in BMX and gamer Sarah Walker shared insights on the parallels between traditional sports and esports:
“If a gamer is going to the gym, they’ve got a nutritionist, they’ve got a sports psychologist, they’re doing everything that I did as an athlete. Their application is gaming, mine was riding a bike.”
Looking Ahead
President-elect Kirsty Coventry concluded the forum by emphasizing the importance of collaboration:
“What I have heard today, is that we share a lot of the same values. These are bridges between different communities, between different ways of thinking, between tradition and innovation. And we need more of them.”
The insights and discussions from the forum will inform the planning and development of the Olympic Esports Games, ensuring that the event reflects the values and aspirations of both the Olympic and esports communities.
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