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eSports, the name for competitive online gaming, is a fast growing pastime, and although many people question its legitimacy as a sport, there is a lot of talk about including it on the Olympic Games sporting program sometime in the future.

Around the time of the 2016, 2018 and 2021 Olympic Games, there were esports demonstration events. There was also an eSports event held at the same time as the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Esports have already made it onto the official program of other multi-sport events, such as the 2022 Asian Games.

Although the IOC has confirmed that they are not considering esports as a possible new addition for the 2024 Games in France, there may be some form of online gaming integration with current sports. For example, in 2018, the first eSailing world championships was held, in which competitors from around the world raced virtual boats. This type of competition may be held in conjunction with the Olympic sailing events.

While the inclusion of Esports into the current Olympic program seems a long way off, the IOC have instigated an "Olympic Esports Games". It will be an annual Olympic Games-style esports event featuring many different virtual sports and video games. The inaugural Olympic Esports Games will be held in 2025 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Trivia

• eSports was a demonstration sport at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
• eSports was a demonstration sport at the 2018 Asian Games, and was a medal event at the 2022 Asian Games.

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Related Pages

• About the Olympic Esports Games, a new event created by the IOC planned to be held annually starting in 2025.
• eSports demonstration events at the Olympics.
• eSports at the Commonwealth Games
• Should eSports Games Be Realistic? Some esports games very realistic, you feel like you are actually playing the sport, but not everyone wants it that way.
• About the egames tournament, held at Rio 2016
• All about esports
• Major international esports tournaments
• Do you think esports should be added to the Olympic Games program [poll]
• List of Possible Future Olympic Games Sports
• POLL: Which sport should be next included in the Olympic Games?
• List of Olympic Sports
• About the sport of gaming / eSports