The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the first-ever Olympic esports tournament will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2025. Details such as dates, host city and participating sports have yet to be announced.
While no specific games have been decided yet, French-language outlet L'Equipe reports that Epic Games, Capcom and Riot Games are just a few of the companies the IOC plans to partner with, as reported by IGN. Working with Saudi Arabia's National Olympic Committee (NOC), IOC President Thomas Bach said: “We are very fortunate to be working with the Saudi Arabian NOC on the Olympic Esports Games, because the Saudi Arabian NOC has unparalleled expertise in the field of esports, together with all its stakeholders. The Olympic Esports Games will benefit greatly from this experience.”
This comment raised eyebrows with some, as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a highly controversial country on human rights issues. Bach addressed those concerns, saying, “By partnering with the Saudi Arabian NOC, we are also ensuring that Olympic values will be respected, particularly in terms of the competitive titles, promoting gender equality and engaging with a young audience passionate about esports.”
What do you think about eSports being officially included in the Olympics? What games do you think will be featured on the big stage? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
