The eSports Olympics are getting closer

This week, the International Olympic Committee announced a 12-year partnership with Saudi Arabia for the organization of an independent event. The Kingdom recently hosted the eSports World Cup, with some fans, players and commentators boycotting the event in protest over human rights. The attitude towards the LGBT community and the lack of women's rights received criticism. Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2 Esports, told BBC Newsbeat that the eSports version of the Olympic Games will strive for equal participation of men and women.

It's not a one-day trip

He emphasized that e-sports will continue to grow for another 20 years and that today it is clear that it is not a one-day fad. "For many years we can see millions of people watching the big finals of the tournaments. There's less fear and more of a kind of excitement about the potential," added Dechelotte.

Povedal je, da se je največja prelomnica zgodila leta 2022 na igrah Commonwealtha in Azijskih igrah, na katerih so poleg tradicionalnih športov potekali tudi e-športni dogodki. “Ljudje iz olimpijskega komiteja so dogodkov udeležili in so rekli ‘V redu, zdaj razumemo’,” pravi.

Despite declaring the experiment a success, the Commonwealth Games Federation announced that eSports would not be part of the 2026 Games in Australia.

Takrat še niso razkrili načrtov za izvedbo ločenega dogodka. Alban meni, da je to prava odločitev, saj preprečuje, da bi obstoječe igre postale še večje. “Mislim, da to daje več prostora za gaming in e-šport, namesto da bi to bil le eden od dodatnih športov.”

Velika dilema – katere igre vključiti v tekmovanje?

It is not yet clear which games are expected to be included in the next competition. At the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, these were Rocket League, League of Legends, EA FC and Street Fighter.

There is some question as to whether first-person shooter games like Call of Duty and Counter-Strike 2, which are hugely popular in tournaments, will be included. It is also about finding a kind of balance between these games and the values that the International Olympic Committee wants to represent.

National teams would bring variety

A big difference between the tournaments and the Olympics would also be that the players would be part of the national team and not the teams we are used to in tournaments, which Alban is excited about. In this way, stars who otherwise play in different teams could come together, or two who are otherwise in tournaments in the same team, would now be in opposite teams. This can most easily be compared to teams and national teams in other sports, such as football.

Greater inclusion of female players

The announcement of the Olympic Games was followed by the aforementioned questions about the representation of women and gender equality. Alban says his experience in Saudi Arabia, where many high-profile eSports events have been organized, has been positive. Like World Cup bosses, he says he has received assurances from Saudi officials that the competition will be open to everyone, regardless of gender or sexuality.

Niso pa v to prepričani vsi, saj se že tako tekmovanja v e-športu soočajo tudi s kritikami zaradi pomanjkanja ženske zastopanosti – le eden od 22 dogodkov je na primer namenjen igralkam. Ostali so odprti za vsakogar, vendar ne vključujejo prav veliko profesionalk.

Alban admits that female players are currently underrepresented at the highest level. He promises that the Olympic Games in eSports will be different and next year the goal will be as equal participation as possible.