Electronic Olympic Games and the relationship with the Olympic Movement

Abstract

Electronic sports, or e-sports, have emerged as a significant global phenomenon, attracting large audiences and establishing themselves as a form of competitive entertainment comparable to Olympic sports. Their growing popularity has sparked a discussion about participation in the Olympic Movement, referenced in the Olympic Charter, which until 2011 restricted the inclusion of sports modalities based on mechanical propulsion. However, the IOC, recognizing the evolution of competition forms and the need for modernization, began to review these restrictions. Agenda 2020 and its successor, Agenda 2020+5, emphasized the need to rejuvenate the Olympic Movement to mobilize new generations. These guidelines indicate an openness to the inclusion of modalities that were denied or excluded in the past, such as surfing and skateboarding. However, the inclusion of e-sports in the Olympic Games still faces significant challenges. The main concern is to align these competitions with Olympic values, such as respect and fair play, in addition to addressing issues related to violence that is present as an object of some games. Thus, we can see that the IOC's relationship with e-sports, from the initial approach to the first events held by the entity, together with the developments that led to the creation of the e-sports Olympic Games, is aligned with the new demands of society that have already transformed a large part of the Olympic program, while at the same time being a necessary action for the very survival of the entity.