eSports Might Become An Olympic Event In 2024
"The youth, yes they are interested in eSports and this kind of thing."
By John Lim — 10 Aug 2017, 12:34 PM
Gamers, this will bring music to your ears.
eSports could be added to the Olympic programme as an official medal sport in 2024!
The Guardian reported that Tony Estanguet, co-president of the Paris Olympic committee, has confirmed that he will be speaking to the International Olympic Committee on the possibility of adding competitive video gaming or eSports when the Olympics take place in France.
Estanguet said there's no denying that eSports has been immensely popular recently, especially among youths
"The youth, yes they are interested in eSports and this kind of thing. Let’s look at it. Let’s meet them. Let’s try if we can find some bridges. I think it’s interesting to interact with the IOC, with them, the eSports family, to better understand what the process is and why it is such a success," he said.
The Frenchman is not wrong. There are plenty of big money events in the eSports scene and it's common to see a group of pro gamers walk away with a fat paycheck after winning a competition.
In August 2016, members of team Fnatic went home with smiles on their faces when they won USD1.4 million (RM5.6 million) in prize money at The International Dota 2 tournament held in Seattle.
The ongoing International Dota 2 Championships have a ridiculous prize pool of USD24 million (RM103 million).
Paris will be confirmed as the host city for the 2024 Olympics after its sole competitor Los Angeles agreed to take the 2028 Olympics
Gaming advocates will have plenty of time to convince the IOC on the inclusion of eSports since the 2024 programme will only start to be shaped in 2019, and a decision on what sports are to be added in Paris will be taken after the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.