In an interview with the South China Morning Post, current President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach has spoken about the Games' desire to attract a younger audience, but insists that eSports will only be embraced into the Olympic family on the proviso that they don't feature violence.
Although Bach notes the meteoric rise in popularity of eSports - the International Dota 2 Championship, which took place this month, featured an eye-watering $24million prize fund - he makes clear that the kinds of games the IOC are interested in are games which replicate real sports such as soccer or basketball, but that they have to "draw the line" at games which feature violence. The Olympic Charter lists as a key value "promoting a peaceful society", which Bach seems to infer means that the IOC are reluctant to endorse any form of violence, however virtual.
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Although Bach notes the meteoric rise in popularity of eSports - the International Dota 2 Championship, which took place this month, featured an eye-watering $24million prize fund - he makes clear that the kinds of games the IOC are interested in are games which replicate real sports such as soccer or basketball, but that they have to "draw the line" at games which feature violence. The Olympic Charter lists as a key value "promoting a peaceful society", which Bach seems to infer means that the IOC are reluctant to endorse any form of violence, however virtual.
Continue reading…
Continue reading...