Recently the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that it put out a proposal for esports to be inducted into the Olympics. This inclusion is likely said to be taken into effect by the year 2026.
Previously, esports made its debut as a proper medal event at the Asian Games 2022, held in September-October 2023 at Hangzhou Esports Centre in China.
Many netizens and industry leaders around the world have reacted positively to esports being proposed for the Olympics. Below are the comments from some esports-gaming stakeholders:
Rajan Navani – CEO and founder, JetSynthesys
“The IOC’s proposal to create Olympic Esports Games presents India with a golden opportunity to shine on the global esports stage. With a vibrant video gaming community of over 450 million and a booming industry, India is poised for exponential growth.
As JetSynthesys’ Gen Z gamers push esports into the mainstream, India can leverage its talent and host international tournaments, cementing its position as a formidable contender in the esports world. Indigenous IPs like Real Cricket can take cricket esports to the world!”
Akshat Rathee – co-founder and managing director, Nodwin Gaming
“This recent development around the Olympic Esports Games further fortifies the dawn of esports as a mainstream sport in international multi-sport events.
The decision to make international federations responsible for the adjacency of their sport to an esport title empowers democratically elected and independent sports federations the ability to engage with the youth of their respective sports while keeping the tenets of the Olympic charter.
The Olympic Esports Games is an endorsement of esports by the most prestigious global sports body, realising its value and giving it recognition. With the strategic partnership of Nodwin gaming with the Global Esports Federation (GEF), our aligned vision is to elevate esports globally in emerging markets. We expect newer partnerships with existing and fresh entrants in the space for brands, publishers, and communities.
I am excited and hopeful that the opportunity offers traditional esports titles a chance to be chosen by International or national federations and will soon be included as a medal sport in the Olympics as well as this new-age sport will finally be embedded under the iconic rings of the Olympics.”
Roby John – CEO and co-founder, SuperGaming,
“We’re excited to see the IOC actively considering the inclusion of esports in the Olympics. This is a major step in recognising esports as a legitimate performance sport.
By integrating esports into the Olympics, the IOC acknowledges the dedication, skill, and sportsmanship of this growing field. The hard work of governing bodies, stakeholders, game developers, and especially the gamers, has made this achievement possible. This move validates the importance of esports and celebrates the efforts of everyone involved. In our own small way, we are proud to contribute to the grassroots growth of esports in India, and it is exciting to see the grit and talent of players from across the world compete at esports and shine in their Olympic journey.”
