The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially launched its Olympic Esports Series 2023 with an invitation to gamers across the world to take part in qualification events.

The first "featured” Games have been announced with be archery, baseball, chess, cycling, dance, motorsport, sailing, taekwondo and tennis joining the programme for the event set to take place between June 22 and 25.

Each have been developed by gaming publishers in conjunction with International Federations.

The IOC plan to announce further sports in the next few weeks. 

The competition is expected to be a highlight of the Olympic Esports week which is to be held as an in person event for the first time.

It is planned to include technology exhibitions, show matches and expert panel discussions, as well as the Olympic Esport Series Finals.

The Series is expected  to be live streamed on the Olympic website and social media channels.

Taekwondo is among the sports included on the programme for the Olympic Esport Series 2023 ©World Taekwondo

Entry is open to professional and amateur players, but will be subject to "current IOC recommendations on the participation of athletes with Russian and Belarusian passports."

Successful players from the qualifying tournament are due to progress to the Olympic Esports Finals in June at the Suntec Centre in Singapore.

The Olympic Movement brings people together in peaceful competition,

IOC Esports Liaison Group chairman David Lappartient said.

The Olympic Esports Series 2023 is a continuation of that, with the ambition of creating more spaces to play for both players and fans of elite competition.

An announcement on tickets is expected in April.

Each International Federation has worked with publishers to develop a game for the Olympic Esport Series 2023 ©WBSC

We look forward to witnessing some of the world’s best compete on the global stage, as well as exploring together shared opportunities and lessons, across health and wellbeing, training and innovation,

Lappartient, also President of the International Cycling Union, added,

The event is the latest step in an initiative set down in the IOC’s Agenda 2020+5 which undertook to "support the development of esports within the Olympic Movement."

The inaugural series was held on a virtual platform in 2021 before the re-arranged 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. 

The IOC claimed it attracted over 250,000 participants from 100 countries.

Original source