While noting that there are three billion people playing esports and gaming around the world, the IOC President said: “What is even more relevant to us: a majority of them are under the age of 34.”

OLYMPIC ESPORTS GAMES He then announced: “I have asked our new IOC Esports Commission to study the creation of Olympic Esports Games.”

The IOC's first engagement with esports was in 2018, with the organisation of the Esports Forum in 2018 in Lausanne. This was followed by the set-up of an Esports Liaison Group to have a platform to engage with all the esports stakeholders. Then in 2021, the IOC developed the Olympic Virtual Series, the Olympic body's first pilot venture in esports.

Bach explained that the IOC chose “a holistic approach” towards esports to “allow us to be active in the esports space while staying true to our values that have guided us for over a century.”

He continued: “With respect to esports, our values are and remain the red line that we will not cross. Our crystal-clear position is gaining more and more respect also in the esports community. One of the leading publishers even adapted their popular game to conform fully with our Olympic values – so that players shot at targets, not at people.”

OLYMPIC ESPORTS WEEK The inaugural Olympic Esports Week took place in Singapore between 22 and 25 June 2023 and Bach said the event "successfully brought together the Olympic and the esports communities.” While the series marked a significant milestone for the esports industry, it also attracted criticism due to the omission of established titles in the gaming community like Dota 2, League of Legends and Counter-Strike. However, the IOC has always made it clear that their priority is to support and promote virtual sports that align with the Olympic values. In explaining how the games for the first Olympic Esports Week were selected, the IOC said “The Olympic Games has always offered a diverse programme… In order to build a similarly diverse programme for the Olympic Esports Series 2023, we have partnered with International Federations (IFs), who in turn propose game developer partnerships."

ASIAN GAMES This year the Asian Games became the first major international sports event to fully incorporate esports as an official medal event, after the pilot event at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games. The Hangzhou 2022 Games featured seven games: EA Sports FC Online (formerly FIFA Online 4), PUBG Mobile (Peace Elite Asian Games version), Arena of Valor (Asian Games version), League of Legends, DOTA 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2 and Street Fighter 5 and in total there were 21 medals up for grabs for esports competitors and teams.

MORE THAN 6 MILLION VIEWS The IOC boasts that: "Over 130 players from across the globe came together to compete in the Olympic spirit on the global stage, in 10 mixed-gender category events. Players were cheered on by a full house of fans in Singapore, with all the action streamed online. Including the qualifiers, the Olympic Esports Series attracted over 500,000 unique participants. The Olympic Esports Series generated more than 6 million views of live action over all channels, with 75 per cent of views from people aged 13 until 34."

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE In his speech Bach also addressed the topic of artificial intelligence (AI): “Our continued success depends on how we embrace the ever-accelerating development of digital technology and in particular AI. This makes our Olympic Agenda 2020 imperative, ‘change or be changed’, even more urgent.”

CHANGE OF MINDSET He called for a change of mindset in the Olympic Movement in order to seize this opportunity: “The younger generation has a completely new way of thinking. They are living digital lives right now. We must not ignore their thinking if we do not want to jeopardise our own future. We must empower them to guide us with their young mindset.”

OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS OF AI The President said the IOC must be in the driver’s seat: “We have to devise a holistic analysis of the opportunities and risks of AI – and then take action immediately. I am happy to inform you that this work is already underway. If things go well, you may see some first consequences of this already in Paris.” The IOC has created an AI working group of experts to guide its efforts.

Noting that another key principle of the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020 was that sport needs to go where the people are, the IOC President said: “This is true for both worlds – the real and the digital one. Today sport has to compete for the time and attention of young people. Therefore, we have to reach out to the youth where they are in this digital world. This is not just a technological imperative. This is also a demographic imperative.”

GROWING EXCITEMENT FOR PARIS 2024 Continuing his opening speech, President Bach noted the growing excitement for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the “Games of a New Era” and the first to be organised fully in line with Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5 from start to finish. 

Political leaders have also expressed their support for the Games. Most recently, at their Summit in India, the G20 Leaders in their Declaration said that they “look forward to the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024 as a symbol of peace, dialogue amongst nations and inclusivity, with participation of all.”

Concluding his opening presentation, the IOC President addressed Prime Minister Modi, saying: “For this commitment, I would like to thank the host and chair of this G20 Summit, the Prime Minister of India, His Excellency Narendra Modi. We have a certain idea how difficult it is to reach a consensus in these divisive and confrontational times we are living in. Congratulations and thank you, Prime Minister Modi, for your leadership and your great support for the Olympic Games.”