International Olympic Committee launches IOC Esports Commission

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), governing body of the Olympic Gameshas announced the creation of a new official commission dedicated to electronic sports. The IOC Esports Commission will be tasked with further popularizing the IOC’s efforts in esports and includes notables from the esports and esports industry, such as. Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2 Esports.

This new commission, was announced as part of a periodic update of the IOC Commissions for 2023, making it an important decision for the future of esports events organized by the IOC.

The IOC Commissions vary in size and field of expertise.and serve as advisory bodies to the IOC President, the IOC Session or the IOC Executive Board. The Commissions usually focus on a particular topic, on a forthcoming eventsuch as the Future Venues Commission, or on a specific a general fieldsuch as the Public Affairs and Corporate Communications Committee.

The new Esports Commission will be headed by David Lappartient, President of the International Cycling Union (UCI), as well as leader of the IOC Esports Liaison Group and Olympic Esports Week. which took place this June in Singapore.

Lappartient will be accompanied by notable figures in the sport.such as the Olympic medalists of BMX Sarah Walker and Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworskias well as FIA Ceo, Natalie Robyn. The Ceo and Secretary General of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Abdulaziz Baeshen, will also serve on the Commission.

As far as e-sports are concerned, Alban Dechelotte, Ceo G2 Esports, and Zeynep Gencaga, Senior Director of Global Competitive Gaming at Ubisoft.have been appointed members. They will be joined by Shinji Namekawa, Director of Global Business Development at Konami, Harish Sarma, Director of Video Games and Esports at TikTok, and Mia Stellberg, sports and esports psychologist.

The IOC believes that virtual sports have the potential to complement and enhance traditional Olympic sports, and can provide new opportunities for athletes and fans to participate in the Olympic Movement. We believe e-sports can help promote the values of excellence, friendship and respect that are at the heart of the Olympic Games, and that they can inspire young people around the world to get involved in sport and lead active and healthy lifestyles.

Thomas Bach, IOC President