Will the future of sport be electronic? In the Olympic movement, opinions differ. But the IOC makes no secret of it: eSports cannot be ignored. And, with him, his authorities and his imposing community of practitioners.
Will the door to the Games soon be open to them? When? In what form ? FrancsJeux questioned one of the major players in the debate, the American Vlad Marinescu, re-elected at the end of last year for a new term as president of the International Electronic Sports Federation (IESF).
FrancsJeux : How do you see the short-term future of electronic sports in the Olympic movement?
Vlad Marinescu : Thomas Bach encouraged international federations to launch into eSports, particularly in its simulation version. This desire even appears in the IOC’s 2020+5 agenda. It was brought to fruition in 2021 by the first edition of the Olympic Virtual Series, where it was more a question of simulation than pure and hard electronic sports. It now appears quite clear that the integration of eSports, in one form or another, is part of the IOC's plans. But it is up to him to decide how to do it and what direction to take. For our part, we of course support this approach. But above all we have the desire, as an international electronic sports federation, to promote the Olympic values to our community, and more broadly to young people around the world.
Is the entry of eSports into the Olympic program possible?
We are ready. Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, later... The IESF is ready to organize with the IOC the presence of electronic sports at the Olympic Games. The day the IOC decides, we will be ready to set up a qualification process. I don't know where the IOC stands with its desire to move forward on this issue, but we are open to any form of collaboration, to further increase the number of viewers around the Olympic Games, but also to educate young people on traditional sports, physical activity and health.
Will you be present, in one way or another, at the Paris 2024 Games?
On a personal level, I will be present through my favorite sport, judo, since I have worked since 2007 for the international federation (IJF). Regarding electronic sports, nothing has been decided yet, the discussion is open. But we must be honest, nothing indicates today that a majority is emerging, within the community of electronic sports practitioners, in favor of participation in the Games. The majority of fans know little about the Games and the Olympic rings. There is a whole education to be done together, hand in hand, in the interest of young people.
Doesn't the road to the Olympic Games pass through the intermediate stages of the continental games?
We are present at the Asian Games, where the IESF has collaborated on several occasions with the Association of Olympic Committees of Asia (OCA). We entered Incheon in 2014, where eSports was presented as a demonstration sport. Four years later, in Jakarta, an event dedicated to e-sports was organized as part of the Asian Games. We will take a new step during the next edition, in China in 2023, where eSports will be fully integrated into the program, with medal events like in all other disciplines. But the process of integrating continental, European or Pan-American games for example, does not belong to us. It is the responsibility of our continental authorities. They have the experience, the network and the community to make it happen.
Could the Youth Olympic Games serve as a laboratory, before possible entry into the Olympic program?
Once again, the decision is not ours, it is up to the IOC. I do not pretend to influence him in one way or another on what he wants to show at the Youth Games or in any other event. All I can say is that, as an international federation, we are ready to support any initiative, to work with the IOC and other stakeholders in the Olympic movement.
Are you in regular contact with David Lappartient, the president of the International Cycling Union, in charge for the IOC of supervising the issue of electronic sports?
We worked with David Lappartient as part of the eSports Liaison Group formed at the initiative of the IOC. The IESF was a member. We will continue to support him. Davis Lappartient has done fantastic work with the UCI to develop, in collaboration with Zwift, an electronic version of cycling. But it turns out that an electronic version of an existing sport generally doesn't attract a new audience. It also does not encourage young people to take up sport. Fans of online cycling, Zwift or connected, are the same ones who practice the discipline in its traditional form. To attract young people to sport, we must work closely with the community and eSports stakeholders, to familiarize young people with the values of sport, then motivate them to try, using influencers in the field. At the last eSports World Championships, in December 2022 in Bali, we offered daily physical activity every morning – yoga, running, stretching, etc. – to 600 athletes from more than 105 countries. They were thus able to start their day with some form of physical preparation.
You were re-elected at the end of the year as president of the IESF. What are the priorities of your new mandate?
Firstly, the unity of the entire eSports community, with a national federation in each country, a continental confederation and an international body. This unity must be accompanied by close cooperation with the game publishers. We have been working with them for 14 years, when we organized the first world championship. We will continue, because it is essential that all players in the ecosystem move in the same direction. another priority: athletes. I want to help them lead a healthier life, play sports, eat better and find their place in society. Finally, we must increase exchanges, collaborations and joint initiatives with the international sports movement outside the sphere of eSports. The IOC, as a priority, but also NGOs, the United Nations... If we manage to achieve all these objectives in the next three years, we will have taken the right direction to strengthen a young, dynamic and intelligent e-sports community.
