Push for Olympic gamers

Paris open to esports being added for the 2024 program

VIDEO gamers could be competing for gold medals by 2024.

Co-president of the Paris Olympic bid committee Tony Estanguet said he would hold talks with esports representatives and the IOC about the possibility of gaming joining the 2024 program.

The explosion in popularity of esports events, drawing large crowds of youngsters to arenas for tournaments, has already seen gaming embraced by the Asian Games.

It will become a full sport by the 2022 edition, although details of which games will be contested are yet to be provided.

Paris will be confirmed as 2024 hosts at an International Olympic Committee gathering in Lima, Peru, next month after rival Los Angeles agreed to host the 2028 Games.

Estanguet believes a contest of digital prowess should be considered a legitimate sport if the Olympics is to maintain its relevance.

“We have to look at it because we can’t say, ‘It’s not us. It’s not about Olympics,”’ he said.

“The youth, yes they are interested in esport and this kind of thing. Let’s look at

Let’s try bridges.

“I don’t want to say ‘no’ from the beginning. I think it’s interesting to interact with the IOC, with them, the esports family, to better understand what the process is and why it is such a success.”

The 2024 program will start to be shaped in 2019 with a final decision on the addition it. Let’s meet them. if we can find some of sports in Paris to be taken by the IOC after Tokyo 2020.

“There is some time to look at it, to interact, to engage,” Estanguet said.

Paris is gaining the 2024 hosting rights without a vote. The IOC decided to award two Summer Games at the same time and LA later abandoned its bid for 2024 during negotiations with the IOC and Paris.

ASSOCIATED PRESS