The position for the 2024 Olympics was given on July 31st, 2017 to Paris after its contender Los Angeles decided to host the 2028 Olympics. Before that, Paris hosted the 1900 and the 1924 Olympics, in which this upcoming Olympics would make it the third time the Olympics have been in the same city, which is the second city to host the Olympics three times(the first city to host three times is London.)
But being the second city to host three times is not the thing making news. What is making news about the Paris Olympics is that the Paris Olympic bid committee is considering the inclusion of e-sports as a medal-earning event at the Olympics. The co-president of the committee has been talking to e-sports representatives “to better understand what the process is and why it is such a success.” He also talks about the inclusion as a way to tap into the youth and get them interested in the Olympics.
This isn't the first time the Olympics have dipped their toes into e-sports. The Rio Olympics in 2016 ran exhibition matches during the Olympics, in which eight teams battled it out over Super Smash Bros. Wii and Smite. Also, the Asian games(similar to the Olympics, but just for Asia) will have exhibition matches in the 2018 games and will be a medal event by the 2022 games.
As a person who plays a good amount of video games(enough to write about them,) I must say that I really hope the Olympics do not include e-sports. Even if it makes the IOC(International Olympic Committee) more money, I really hope that they don't do this.
The biggest reason why I think competitive gaming should not go to the Olympics is the simple fact that it isn't real. It's all fake, it's all on a screen. I don't deny that their is skill to competitive gaming, it's just more of a mental set of skills instead of physical ones. Now the question may come up "what about events like curling, shooting, and others?" While those events won't give its participants six packs any time soon, their is still some physical exertion being given out. For example, curling requires great balance and curlers could find themselves walking for miles considering matches last for hours. Ultimately, it's that e-sports isn't a sport, as for the first thing that comes up in the definition of a sport is physical exertion(no, moving fingers do not count.)
Another reason I have for not including gaming into the Olympics is that it would taint the Olympics. Winning gold is quite a feat, but saying that someone won the gold from playing Hearthstone just doesn't feel right. Having video games in the Olympics opens the idea of adding other events and turns the Olympic gold from something only the best could get to something anyone could get. If we add gaming to the Olympics, then why stop there? Why not add board games, card games, cooking, and other everyday activities? To me, adding gaming to the Olympics is like adding Youtube videos to the Academy Awards.
The final reason I believe this shouldn't happen is because their are too many questions. What game would you choose? It seems that any game nowadays that has competitive multiplayer could be considered an option for e-sports. How do you choose? And what about speed racing? Do you include sports games considering the sport being played is most likely being played in real life at the Olympics? Do you reward the player the award or the character? And what about the games you don't choose? Do you cycle the games, keep the games with no new additions, or keep the games with additions? All of these questions could be answered if this thing rolls out, but I feel that their is no right answer to the questions I have or have not stated.
Since the 8th B.C., the Olympics have been a test of physicality and spirit for your region, and I think that losing reality to virtuality deters that belief.The Olympics have been a source of culture and tradition, and I believe that it shouldn't be broken from video games. I love video games, but I also have a level of respect for the Olympics and the people who participate in them. Do I believe new events should be added? Yes. I rock climb as an exercise, and seeing climbing as a new event in 2020 is really cool. Do I believe there should be a video game Olympics? Yes. Their are enough different games to be played competitively to make its own Olympics. Competitive gaming is challenging, and watching that competition like watching the Olympics could prove to be entertaining. But do I believe that video games should be in the Olympics? No. their are too many differences between the two, and just because it looks good on paper doesn't mean its good in practice. Just imagine being a soccer player who has trained countless years and has stayed in top physical shape, winning the gold, and learning that someone else also won the gold while playing soccer, but didn't have to lift is butt off of the chair to win that cherished prize.
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