Esports: In a significant boost to Esports, the Government of India on Tuesday integrated it with mainline sports disciplines in the country. President Droupadi Murmu amended the regulations governing Esports in accordance with the power "conferred by clause (3) of article 77 of the Constitution" and asked the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and sports ministry to include Esports as part of multi-sports events.
The demand to include Esports in the curriculum of multi-discipline events intensified after it was included in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games as a demonstration sport, meaning medals won in the sport were not counted in the official overall medals tally.
Following President's December 23 notification, the IT Ministry will be the nodal agency for online gaming-related matters and the sports ministry will have to include it in its curriculum, it has come as a shot in the arm for Esports enthusiasts.
IOC taking steps to popularise Esports
With Singapore slated to host the first Olympic Esports Week in June 2023, the International Olympic Association (IOC) is also making a huge push to popularise Esports. This is a significant step forward in encouraging the growth and inclusion of virtual sports in the Olympic movement and engaging further with competitive gamers.
Earlier in November, the IOC had said that the Olympic Esports Week would showcase the best of virtual sports -- hybrid physical and simulated sports -- in the four-day festival from June 22 to 25, including exhibiting the latest technologies, panel discussions, education sessions and show matches.
IOC President Thomas Bach had said last month that the inaugural Olympic Esports Week would mark an important milestone "in our ambition to support the growth of virtual sports within the Olympic Movement".
First Commonwealth Esports Championship
The Indian DOTA 2 team had clinched bronze at the first Commonwealth Esports Championship held in Birmingham in August defeating New Zealand.
The sport will make its debut at the Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou, China next year.
Reacting to the report of its inclusion as a mainline sport, Lokesh Suji, director, of the Esports Federation of India and vice-president of the Asian Esports Federation, said the efforts of the fraternity had finally borne fruit.
"We have been constantly working on establishing the difference between esports and iGaming, and finally, our efforts have been fulfilled. We welcome this announcement by our government, which will open new avenues to pour in more investment opportunities in this booming industry," he said.
"From now onwards, we will have to build a proper infrastructure, training facilities and coaching for our young esports athletes. Only a short time until we see esports being placed in the same league as cricket, football, basketball, etc. and having similar fan power, scale and craze," added Suji.
(With PTI inputs)
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