International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has unveiled plans to incorporate Electronic Sports (E-sports) into the Olympic Games, starting with events succeeding the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In his New Year’s message address, Bach expressed the IOC’s commitment to advancing the digitalization of the Olympic movement through its Olympic Agenda 2025 Plus. The IOC president emphasized the significant opportunities presented by the digital revolution, specifically highlighting Artificial Intelligence (AI) and E-sports.
“Beyond the Olympic Games Paris 2024, we are standing united for our mission to make the world a better place through sport. The digital revolution, in particular Artificial Intelligence and E-sports, offer us huge opportunities, and we need to seize them right now,” announced Bach. He further revealed that the IOC is exploring the creation of Olympic E-sports games, a venture met with enthusiasm.
Simultaneously, Bach welcomed the integration of Artificial Intelligence in shaping the future of sports. “When it comes to AI, our ‘change or be changed’ imperative takes on a new meaning as we want to use the transformative power of AI to support athletes and drive the development of sports,” he stated. This involves identifying talents, creating training methods, making tracking more objective, and customizing the viewing experience for billions of Olympic fans.
Kenya has shown a keen interest in these developments, particularly after the government endorsed its bid to host the African E-sports Cup games in November 2023. Cabinet Secretary for Sports Ababu Namwamba declared the ministry’s full support for this initiative, underscoring Kenya’s involvement in the evolving landscape of sports and technology.
