IOC suspends work on special eSports commission — Japanese daily
The source added that a strong controversy remains within the IOC regarding eSports being recognized as a sports discipline
TOKYO, May 4. /TASS/. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has suspended work on its special-purpose commission on eSports, Japan’s daily Livedoor reported on Monday.
A source told Livedoor that the IOC has suspended its eSports Commission’s activities and the organization is unlikely to review this issue under the IOC’s current presidency, which is prioritizing "traditional sports."
The source also added that there’s still a lot of disagreement within the IOC about whether eSports should be recognized as an official sports discipline. IOC President Kirsty Coventry sent a letter to the members of the eSports Commission in January.
In January, Coventry sent a letter to commission members suggesting a reassessment of how eSports fits into the IOC’s broader strategy. At the time, IOC representatives indicated the commission’s work had effectively ended.
According to Dmitry Smit, the president of the Russian eSports Federation, the IOC realized that sports simulation formats in eSports wouldn’t bring the money or audience that role-playing games or shooters could.
"The International Olympic Committee has never seriously considered truly eSports programs such as Dota 2 and Counter Strike 2," Smit said in an interview with TASS.
"The IOC initially pondered the integration of sports simulators, which were often about cycling, sailing, baseball, archery and taekwondo," Smit said. "It is now apparent they realized that such formats would not provide them with a significant increase in audience as well as financial benefits."
In October, the IOC refused to hold the eSports Olympics in Saudi Arabia. The decision was a mutual one. Both sides intended to develop their eSports ambitions in different ways. At that time, the IOC stated that they intended to develop a new approach to the Olympic eSports Games.
The IOC announced its intention to hold the eSports Olympiad in June 2024. Prior to that, an eSports week was held at the initiative of the IOC, and in September 2023, the organization created an eSports Commission.