On Thursday, the IOC announced that it had ended its cooperation with Saudi Arabia for the Olympic Esports Games. What does this mean for the Olympic future of esports?
The turbulent history of Olympic eSports enters its next chapter: As announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Esports Games will not take place in Saudi Arabia over the next twelve years as planned.
The decision was made after reviewing the project with the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) and the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF). The relevant contracts have been terminated by mutual agreement and partnerships have been dissolved.
New approach, new partners
“For its part, the IOC will develop a new approach to the Olympic Esports Games and pursue a new partnership model, taking into account the feedback from this process,” according to the statement from the world governing body.
This new approach is intended to “better align the Olympic Esports Games with the long-term goals of the Olympic Movement and make the opportunities offered by the Olympic Esports Games accessible to a wider audience.”
The following clause is particularly interesting: the goal is to “hold the first Games as soon as possible.” This sounds very much like the start of the Olympic Esports Games could be postponed again.
2027 unlikely to be met
With the announcement of the Olympic Esports Games 2024, the first games were scheduled for 2025. A few months later, the IOC backtracked and announced that they would take place one or two years later after all.
Shortly thereafter, the date was set for 2027.
Following the split between the IOC and Saudi Arabia, the start date for Olympic esports seems uncertain once again. Those responsible must first work out the new approach and new partners. 2027 currently seems unlikely to be met.
Surprise and opportunity
“The IOC’s latest announcement has surprised many,” says Felix Falk, managing director of the video game industry association game. “It’s good that the IOC is once again emphasizing the great importance of eSports and its plans for the Olympic Esports Games.” However, the scrapping of the previous plans also shows “that eSports and traditional sports function differently in important ways.”
The German eSports Federation (ESBD) emphasizes on LinkedIn the opportunity that the now-canceled cooperation with Saudi Arabia opens up: “The discussion about venues and partners is open again. Among other things, this would be a huge opportunity for Germany and other European countries to successfully address this issue.” The federation will “continue to closely follow developments.”
