Violent Video Games Don't Belong In The Olympics, IOC President Says

[Len]

If video games come to the Olympics, it's more likely they'd be games like FIFA and NBA 2K, it sounds like.


Earlier this month, it was reported that representatives for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games were talking to the International Olympic Committee about potentially adding a competitive gaming tournament to the global event. That could still happen, but if it does, don't expect "violent" video games to be included. 


Thomas Bach, the president of the IOC, told the South China Morning Post that violent video games run counter to "Olympic values," that is, to promote peace and harmony around the world. If video games are featured in the 2024 Summer Games or any other Olympic event, it sounds more likely that they would be games like FIFA or NBA 2K, as football/soccer and basketball are among actual Olympic competitions. 


"We want to promote non-discrimination, non-violence, and peace among people," Bach said (via eSportsObservor). "This doesn't match with video games, which are about violence, explosions, and killing. And there we have to draw a clear line.


"So if ever somebody is competing at playing football virtually or playing other sports virtually, this is of high interest," he added. "We hope that, then, these players are really delivering sports performance. If [fans] at the end would even play the sports in the real world, we would even be more happy."
We don't know yet if any form of gaming will be available as a medal event at the 2024 Games, but Bach confirmed that "discussions are going on" with Paris. Bach noted that gaming is a "successful industry," but it is "not yet really established in an organisational way."


A list of events for the 2024 Games in Paris will begin to take form in 2019, while the official list of sports will be announced after the 2020 Games in Tokyo.

Paris has yet to be officially announced as the host of the 2024 games, but that's expected to happen in September. Los Angeles was in the mix as well, but it recently elected to host the event in 2028 instead.


While gaming has yet to be featured as a medal event at the Olympics, eSports will be a medal event at the Asian Games in 2022. A list of games for the event has not been announced as of yet, however.