Source: Central Network
On October 30, Beijing time, the International Olympic Committee officially issued a statement announcing that after deliberation with the Saudi Olympic Committee and the E-Sports World Cup Foundation, the two parties jointly agreed to terminate their cooperation in Olympic e-sports events.
Statement of the International Olympic Committee on the Olympic e-sports Games:
The initiative of the Olympic e-sports Games has aroused great enthusiasm among all stakeholders of the Olympic movement and the e-sports community, and everyone is eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the first competition.
Last year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) conducted in-depth discussions on the concept of an Olympic e-sports competition, in line with the partnership announced by the two sides in 2024.
Recently, both sides and the eSports World Cup Foundation met again to review the initiative. The sides agreed to end cooperation on the Olympic eSports Games. The two sides will continue to pursue their respective eSports goals on different paths. The International Olympic Committee will listen to feedback during the “Suspension and Reflection” process, develop new Olympic eSports programmes and explore new cooperation models.
This move will help better align the Olympic e-sports movement with the long-term goals of the Olympic Movement and more widely promote the opportunities brought by the Olympic e-sports movement, with the ultimate goal of hosting the first Olympic Games as soon as possible.
Positive feedback from Olympic stakeholders and the e-sports community shows the enthusiasm and support of the initiative.