Paris 2024 bid team to discuss esports inclusion for Olympic Games
August 9, 2017
Esports could be part of the Olympic Games as early as 2024, with the Paris bid team open to discussions about the matter with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Competitive video gaming has grown significantly in recent years, having attracted a global audience of roughly 320 million people in 2016.
Esports will be included in the 2022 Asian Games and Tony Estanguet, Paris 2024 co-president, has left the door open for a landmark competition in the French capital in seven years.
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“We have to look at it because we can’t say, ‘it’s not about Olympics,'” Estanguet told the AP news agency.
“The youth are interested, so let’s meet them. I think it’s interesting to interact with the IOC and the esports family to better understand what the process is and why it is such a success.
“There is some time to look at it, to interact, to engage. I don’t want to say ‘no’ from the beginning.”
Projected Revenues ($m) and Audience (millions) generated by esports (Source: BBC)
Paris’ hosting of the 2024 Games is expected to be officially approved at an IOC congress in Lima, Peru in September.
The 2024 programme of events will be ratified after the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
Estanguet added: “We will spend some time after Lima to engage with new people and stakeholders.
“The IOC will have the last say if they want esports on the programme. Let’s discuss among ourselves.”