The 142nd Session of the International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday unanimously approved the creation of the eSports Olympic Games, the first edition of which will be held in 2025 in Saudi Arabia.
The Olympic Assembly, meeting in Paris, approved the proposal of the IOC Executive and the Saudi Arabian Committee, which reached an agreement for 12 years.
The vote was taken by show of hands and there were no votes against or abstentions, after a long presentation to highlight that the e-sports Games will respect Olympic values.
The Saudi committee made an effort during the Session to explain the progress made by its country in promoting women’s sport, with 330,000 federated athletes, almost 40 teams competing internationally and seven federation presidents.
IOC President Thomas Bach of Germany stressed that These eSports games will have their own funding which will not come from the profits of the Olympic Games nor will it be to the detriment of other sports.
Saudi Arabia has made a significant contribution to the organisation of various sporting competitions. The most recent one awarded to it was the WTA Finals from 2024 to 2026, a decision that was criticised by some members of the circuit.