Video gamers everywhere now have the chance to become Olympic medalists as the OCA (Olympic Council of Asia) have formally included eSports as a major medal event in the coming 2022 Beijing Olympics in China. The move formally recognizes esports as a sport and the players are now considered to be full-fledged athletes.

Why are eSports added to the Olympic games?

According to OCA, the inclusion of eSports is intended to reflect the rapid development of technology and the growing popularity of this form of sports participation. The competitive nature of online gaming fits in with the spirit of competition that is held in such high regard in the Olympics.

The 'Faster, Higher and Stronger' motto, which was generally focused on the physical strength of an athlete will now encompass the mental capacity of an individual through eSports.

How did eSports become a part of the Olympics?

The International eSports Federation (IESF) and the International eGames Committee (IEGC) formally requested the inclusion of the electronic sports to the Olympics, which after much deliberation was granted. At present, competitive online gaming is among the top industries in the market today.

Global revenue for electronic sports will reach more than $1 billion by 2019 according to market analysts.

During the Asian Games, which is regarded as the second largest international sporting event next to the Olympics, a total of 10,000 delegates from 45 countries participated in an eSports event. It shows the level of popularity electronic gaming has achieved and providing a place for it in the Olympics is a logical thing to do.

Training for eSports are already in place

For anyone who is interested in becoming an eSports athlete, there are a number of places that offers training for prospects.

  • The University of Utah - offers an Electronic arts and Engineering (EAE) degree, which is basically a college course for competitive gaming.
  • The University of California - offers a "League of Legends" eSports scholarship program. The classroom is made to look like a Korean internet gaming cafe to complete the experience.
  • The university of Pikeville - offers athletic scholarships to students who excel in electronic sports, however, students are obligated to maintain a required GPA. The program consists of regular weekly training and local competition.
  • Columbia College - started to offer competitive gaming scholarships after its president Scott Dalrymple participated in a video game challenge by college students.
  • Robert Morris University - offers a scholarship program for "League of Legends" players.

The 2022 Olympics will be held in Beijing.

China. Prior to it, a demonstration sports event will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2018. Games that will be included are not yet divulged, but contenders are first-person shooters and real-time strategy games.
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