E-sports could be Olympic medal sport in 2024 Games

August 11, 2017 | 15:22

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SINGAPORE: Gaming for an Olympic gold could be a reality come 2024 when the French capital hosts the event.

Members of team Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau (centre R) and team Europe (centre L) compete on stage during the League of Legends gaming tournament during the eSports and Music Festival in Hong Kong on August 4, 2017 AFP/ISAAC LAWRENCE

Speaking to the Associated Press, co-president of the Paris Olympic bid committee Tony Estanguet said he will hold talks with e-sports representatives and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about the possibility of gaming being part of the Paris Games.

“I don’t want to say ‘no’ from the beginning. I think it’s interesting to interact with the IOC, with them, the e-sports family, to better understand what the process is and why it is such a success,” Estanguet said in an interview with AP in London.

“We have to look at it because we can’t say ‘It’s not us. It’s not about Olympics'.

"The youth, yes they are interested in esport and this kind of thing. Let’s look at it. Let’s meet them. Let’s try if we can find some bridges," he told the AP.

E-sports will be a medal event at the 2022 Asian Games in China. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) had announced in April that it will first be a demonstration sport at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

CNA/ AFP

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