Sports E-sports at the Olympics
IOC President Bach announces revolutionary innovation
As of: 8:00 p.m. | Reading time: 3 minutes
Digital offensive: IOC President Thomas Bach still has a lot planned
Quelle: AFP/INDRANIL MUKHERJEE
The IOC is apparently on the verge of a revolutionary change. President Thomas Bach has instructed a commission to examine the implementation of the e-sports Olympics. Germany has faced new competition to host the 2036 Games.
With the Olympic Games for e-sports, the IOC wants to win over the younger generation in the digital world. IOC President Thomas Bach said on Saturday at the opening ceremony of the 141st General Assembly in Mumbai that he had instructed the responsible commission of the International Olympic Committee to examine the creation of such an event. This is the way to continue to be successful in the race for the target group of gamers and e-sports enthusiasts, said the 69-year-old.
According to this, around three billion people worldwide are active in the gaming sector. According to Bach, more than 500 million people are primarily interested in e-sports, i.e. virtual sports and sports simulations. “And what is even more important for us: the majority of them are under 34 years old,” said the IOC chief.
The umbrella organization had already organized an e-sports forum in Lausanne in 2018. Most recently there was an Olympic e-sports week in Singapore. This was a “promising start,” said Bach. But the real race still lies before the IOC.
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However, there has recently been criticism of the IOC’s approach in the e-sports scene. The selection of virtual competitions in Singapore does not reflect the established sports in the gaming community, it said. In his speech, Bach left open the scope of the Olympic e-sports games and what forms of competition they would include.
India wants Olympic Games in 2036
The race for the 2036 Olympics is likely to be quite difficult for a possible German application. Now India has also announced its interest in the Summer Games.
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Mumbai (dpa) – India wants to apply for the 2036 Olympic Games. “We will pull out all the stops,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday at the opening ceremony of the 141st session of the International Olympic Committee in Mumbai. The head of government added that the Olympics are a long-held dream for India. With a bid for the 2036 Summer Games, India could become a competitor for Germany. The German Olympic Sports Confederation is currently examining a renewed candidacy.
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Modi expressed confidence of getting the IOC’s support for his Olympic efforts. The Prime Minister also signaled India’s interest in hosting the 2029 Youth Olympic Games.
The next Summer Games will take place in Paris in 2024. Los Angeles will host in 2028 and Brisbane in Australia has been selected for 2032. According to the IOC, there are already a number of interested parties for the games afterwards.
India, as the most populous country in the world with great economic potential, can expect good opportunities with the umbrella organization. With the inclusion of cricket, which is extremely popular especially in India, in the Olympic program for 2028, the IOC has already demonstrated its increased focus on this market.
