Although eSports could be included in the Olympics in the future, the most competitive titles such as "League of Legends" or "Dota 2" appear to be out of consideration, according to International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.
Bach's interview with the South China Morning Post revealed that the chairman believes Video Games don't fit the standards of the Olympics.
eSports, according to Bach, shows much of "violence," the exact opposite of what the organization has been promoting since its inception, which is "peace among people."
eSports still has a chance
Although Bach’s statements could cause a massive outrage among gaming fans worldwide, the chairman didn’t exactly rule out the inclusion of video games in the Olympic Games. He wasn’t specific on the titles considered not appropriate or too violent for Olympic audiences, but his comments later in the interview seem to imply that the International Olympic Committee would rather see digital athletics than featuring eSports regulars, the likes of “Overwatch.”
Bach proceeded to call virtual football and other digital sports games “of high interest,” saying he hopes players of such video games deliver "sports performance." The IOC president didn't expound what he means by "sports performance," which has caused gaming fans to ask if they, too, should train as most Olympians would.
Is the world ready for Olympic video games?
The image of an Olympian is associated with physical prowess, a sculpted body chipped into perfection by years of careful maintenance and preparation. That is why so many are scornful of the notion that competitive video gaming should stand alongside other Olympic sports.
But it’s slowly materializing. The organizers of the Asian Games announced April that eSports will be a demonstration event next year in Indonesia. At the 2022 Games in Hangzhou, China, however, it will have full medal status. By 2024, it’s possible eSports could be added to the Olympic program as an official medal sport.
The Paris Olympic bid committee will consider eSports for inclusion as a medal event in the 2024 Olympic Games, according to Tony Estanguet, the committee’s co-president.
Estanguet told the Associated Press that talks have been scheduled with the International Olympic Committee and with eSports representatives “to better understand what the process is and why it is such a success.”