esports: the "Olympic Virtual Series", the first esports events programme launched by the IOC

The IOC presented the "Olympic Virtual Series" (OVS), "the first-ever, Olympic-licensed event for physical and non-physical virtual sports", on 22/04/2021. This worldwide esports programme will run from 13/05 to 23/06/2021.

For its first visit into esports, the IOC is joining forces with five international sports federations - cycling (UCI), automobile (FIA), baseball & softball (WBSC), rowing (World Rowing), and sailing (World Sailing) - and video game publishers to produce the “Olympic Virtual Series”. The IOC also indicated that FIFA, FIBA and even the ITF "have expressed their enthusiasm and their willingness to consider participating in future editions of the OVS".

"Each international federation will offer its corresponding event in a format that maximises online mass participation and prioritises inclusivity and participation through the OVS. The mass-participation Series allows participants around the world to compete from home or their training facilities in order to generate excitement in the build-up to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020," said the IOC.

"The OVS creates a stage…