From 2025, esports will now be considered an Olympic sporting activity
The International Olympic Committee has announced that it now recognizes esports as an Olympic sportiing acivity. In a vote where there were no dissenters or even abstainers, the Olympic Esports Games were created.
In a video shared by the official IOC Media account, a vote was taken where the speaker called on the attendees to show their support or lack of it for the new initiative.
It has been reported that the inaugural Olympic Esports Games will be held next year in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is in line with the Middle Eastern super power's push to involve itself in every facet of life in the world especially as a hub for sporting and gaming activities.
To this end, they have already instituted the Esports World Cup which is currently ongoing, and with the Olympics now on board, have made a major step in legitimizing esports within society.
The full import of this historic move is still unknown, but it can be imagined that this will make governments more willing to provide infrastructure for esports, and encourage it more in education. It could be massive for gamers everywhere.
There is also, of course, some controversy regarding thee choice of Saudi Arabia considering some of the issues some people have raised about the country due to allegations of human rights violations.
The move has been applauded by most and it will be interesting to see how things develop.