Is eSports a sport? Here, opinions differ. For many, sport is associated with physical activity. However, the President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation and the Hesse Minister of the Interior and Sports believe that eSports does not belong in this category.
What happened? Last year, Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), stated that eSports does not correspond to the Olympic principles of peace and international understanding due to many violent games.
This made the chances for the inclusion of eSports as an Olympic discipline very slim.
What is the position of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB)? At the New Year’s reception of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, Alfons Hörmann, President of the DOSB, stated that eSports does not exist.
It will definitely not be included as an Olympic discipline.
It is not about eSports, but about eGaming.
This is what the Hesse Minister of the Interior says: Earlier, the Hesse Minister of the Interior and Sports, Peter Beuth, stated that eSports is “as much of a sport as knitting and playing the recorder”.
Values such as fair play and respect for individuals are not conveyed in video games. “We must not allow the eGaming industry to appropriate these sports values,” he further explained.
He still does not want the “eGaming industry to compete for funding.”
Why is this a hot topic for gamers? According to many players, eSports is not about “brutal” games, but about achieving something as a team, working towards a victory, and striving hard for it. Fair play is as important in eSports as respect for individuals, just as it is in “real” sports.
Chess is also frequently mentioned. Whether chess is a sport has been controversially discussed for a long time, especially since funding was cut in 2014.
In December 2013, a guideline from the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) came into effect, stating that sports without “volitional activity of the athlete” would no longer be funded. This had serious consequences for chess.
A similar discussion is held about darts.
In chess and darts, however, the argument arises that they are mental sports. Concentration, consideration, tactics, all of this is important. This also applies to computer games.
Gamers feel unfairly treated, as eSports with its high prize money has already been a significant part of society for years, but simply is not officially recognized.
Is this the end of eSports as an Olympic discipline? With the statements of Sports Minister Beuth and DOSB President Hörmann, it seems this chapter is probably closed for now. At least for now, there will likely not be an Olympic discipline “eSports”. However, there are individuals in politics who advocate for the recognition of eSports as an official sport.
This includes Dorothee Bär, Minister of State for Digitalization. In autumn 2018, she stated briefly: “eSports is sport. It’s that simple.” The discussion will continue. And perhaps we can eventually achieve that eSports is truly considered an Olympic discipline.
