Books? Check

Aruarian Dance? Check

Rowing? Check

Animation? Check

I guess it’s time to talk about Esports.

“Esports? What are Esports? Sports for the letter E?”

No no no my conveniently uninformed friend.

Letters don’t have legs.

But then again, they wouldn’t need legs to play Esports.

And that’s the whole problem, innit?

Why did I just go British?

“Oi mate, Esports is just a buncha wankers playing the telly, innit? What happened to blokes playing the beautiful game on the pitch?”

Esports: A form of sport competition using video games.

Google definition

“That’s bonkers, that is.”

You’ve either never heard of this or you’re rolling your eyes at the slight mention of the word or, on the off chance this blog has more readers than I thought, you’re a fan of Esports.

Or you don’t care.

In which case, fair.

But let me tell you where I stand.

I am involved in an 8-year long bet. In 2018, I bet one of my friends $1,000 that Esports would be in the Olympics by 2026.

“Youse a bit daft, mate.”

No, I am not daft my tea drinking friend.

I am just proud and stubborn.

Before you go off telling your mates how much of a wanker I am, let me tell you why I am confident enough to bet $1,000 on this topic.

“1,000 quid? Blimey! You got yourself in a proper jammy, bruv.”

Moving on.

The idea of Esports is controversial due to the different interpretations of the word sport. The definition of sport, however, has been argued long before video games.

Sport: an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

Google definition

This Google definition is terribly written by the way.

Wikipedia also defines sport as:

All forms of competitive physical activity or games which, through casual or organized participation, at least in part aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants, and in some cases, entertainment for spectators.

Sports wikipedia page

Now, as you might have already assumed, I don’t agree with the two definitions above. I think Esports are sports. It’s in the name, so I assume most Esports fans think so too.

But I get why this is controversial. Esports do not require physical activity or exertion.

I still think they’re sports.

But I am not here to argue about what is and isn’t a sport. I’ll admit, sports are generally physical. I’m not trying to convince you otherwise. I’m not trying to take anything away from the sacred word that is sport. A word that defines peak athleticism and camaraderie. Hoorah!

But, just like video games, sports don’t really matter. In this sense, they are both the same. At the end of the day, they’re just games.

But let me tell you why Esports will be in the Olympics by 2026.

The IOC (International Olympic Committee) is in charge of regulating and admitting sports into the Olympics. The IOC has changed its definition of sport over the years. The first Olympic games in 1896 held 43 events. The 2021 Summer Olympics will hold 339 events. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the games, everyone and their uncle wants their made-up sport to be included.

This is not satire.

Shuffleboard on ice is in the Olympics.

And don’t try to tell me curling is a serious sport for serious people.

The idea of curling could only be realized between 4 bored and cold drunks with a few big rocks and a broom.

“Dude, yeah this is totally a sport. This should be in the Olympics, man.”

The IOC has a specific process in picking sports. They have developed seven criteria to judge whether a sport be included. They are as follows:

  • History and tradition of the sport.
  • Universality.
  • Popularity of the sport.
  • Image.
  • Athletes’ health.
  • Development of the International Federation that governs the sport.
  • Costs of holding the sport.

What does the IOC define as a sport?

All events sanctioned by an international sport federation, a definition that may differ from the common meaning of the word “sport.”

Olympic sports Wikipedia page

The Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), formerly SportAccord, defines a sport with the following 4 criteria:

  • Have an element of competition.
  • Be in no way harmful to any living creature.
  • Not rely on equipment provided by a single supplier (excluding proprietary games such as arena football).
  • Not rely on any “luck” element specifically designed into the sport.

Esports qualifies with the GAISF criteria.

Competition? Check.

Harming creatures? Nope.

Single supplier? Technically no.

Luck? Depends on the game.

Esports also qualifies with the IOC criteria.

While universality, image, and athlete health are debatable, the following facts about Esports cannot be denied:

The first Esports competition was in 1972. It was a game called Spacewar and it took place at Stanford University. This gives it a rich 48-year history.

This year, Esports have 495 million viewers worldwide. Global revenue surpassed $1 billion. Esports are popular.

The International Esports Federation (IESF), founded in South Korea, has 56 member nations. Its mission is to have Esports recognized as a legitimate sport.

With these facts, I’ll let you come to your own conclusion.

Will I be $1,000 richer?

As of right now, the IOC does not recognize IESF as a legitimate sports federation, despite it qualifying the IOC’s criteria.

But that’s not to say they haven’t considered it.

In the 2018 Winter Olympics, there was a showcase of popular Esport Star Craft II. Five South Korean Esports athletes were part of the Olympic torch relay. Star Craft II wasn’t technically in the Olympics as they were competing for prize money, not medals.

The 2021 Olympics in Tokyo will also showcase Esports. They will also be competing for prize money.

It seems the IOC is interested but hesitant.

Here’s the most recent development on the topic:

“The organization committee for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris were in discussions with the IOC and the various professional Esport organizations to consider esports for the event, citing the need to include these elements to keep the Olympics relevant to younger generations.”

Esports Wikipedia Page

I could do a lot with $1,000.

New gaming computer? Some nice headphones? Aruarian Dance on vinyl?

But I think I’ll start with some new shoes.