In June 2023, Singapore will host the first Olympic esports week

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today confirmed that the first Olympic Esports Week will be held in Singapore from 22 to 25 June 2023.

This announcement marks another important step in supporting the development of virtual sports within the Olympic Movement. The IOC and the Olympic Movement committed themselves in Recommendation 9* of Olympic Agenda 2020+5 (a roadmap to guide the action of the IOC and the Olympic Movement until 2025) toencourage the development of virtual sports and to engage more with video game communities.

In partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Sport Singapore and theSingapore Olympic Committee (SCNO), Olympic esports week will showcase the best of virtual sports – sports simulations with and without a physical dimension – with its four-day festival showcasing the latest technology. round tables and information sessions as well as demonstration matches.

Building on the success of the 2021 Olympic Virtual Series, this Olympic Week will conclude with the live finals of the Olympic Esports Series, a global virtual sports and simulation competition, created in collaboration with International Federations (IFs).

In 2021, the International Olympic Committee together with five International Sports Federations and video game publishers produced the first Olympic Virtual Series, the first-ever Olympic-licensed event for physical and non-physical virtual sports, which attracted250,000 participants from 13 May to 23 June 2021 and represented more than 100 countries around the world.

We will therefore follow with interest this Olympic week of esports.

*Recommendation n°9 of Olympic Agenda 2020+5:

• Encourage the development of virtual sports and become more involved with video game communities
• Harnessing the growing popularity of virtual sport to promote the Olympic Movement, the Olympic values and participation in sporting activities, as well as to build a direct relationship with young people
• Strengthen IFs’ roles and responsibilities by creating virtual and simulated forms of sport as disciplines within their rules and strategies
• Launch unique Olympic products and experiences through virtual and simulated forms of sports to support the IOC’s digital engagement strategy
• Consider adding virtual physical sports to the Olympic programme in collaboration with relevant IFs
• Support local partnerships between sport and video game communities to encourage young people to engage in physical activity and engagement with the Olympic Movement
• Make available to competitive video game communities, online programs on Olympic athletes, as well as digital tools, in order to maintain their physical and mental well-being

By Jean-Baptiste-Guillot, France, a Transatlantic Law International Affiliated Firm.  

For further information or for any assistance please contact france@transatlanticlaw.com

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