The Olympic Council of Asia confirmed that esports will be part of the disciplines that will be seen during the next Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China.
During the last general assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia, it was confirmed said information and at the moment it is known that there will be six events in dispute.
“I hope that esports will bring added value to the Asian Games, and I am sure that will be the case in the future, during the Asian Games in 2022 and beyond,” the director of the Asian Games of the World Cup Haider Farman said in a press release.
Esports are based on professional video game skills, as if it were a traditional sport. Some examples are the League of Legends World Championship or The International of Dota 2, both events deliver millions of dollars in prizes to their participants.
On the other hand, it is not the first time that esports have participated in the Asian Games, since in the 2018 edition a series of tests was carried out with six video games (League of Legends, PES 2018, Arena Of Valor, StarCraft II , Hearthstone and Clash Royale). In turn, electronic sports were also taken into account in the Southeast Asian Games in 2019.
Efforts to include esports in the Olympics have so far failed, but the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have sparked a change in attitude this year, with organizers exploring new ideas.
The president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, asked his organization to investigate “urgently” electronic versions of the sports and to approach the game publishers back in April.
According to reports, the Asian Electronic Sports Federation, consisting of members from 45 countries and regions, said it welcomes the latest development.
