Olympic esports will level the playing field, says boss

The Olympic Esports Games are set to elevate gaming to the same level as the Winter and Summer Olympics, according to Alban Dechelotte, the CEO of G2 Esports, one of the world's leading esports teams. This week, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) announced a 12-year partnership with Saudi Arabia to host the standalone event. The Kingdom recently hosted the Esports World Cup, although the event faced boycotts from some fans, players, and commentators due to Saudi Arabia's human rights record. Alban Dechelotte tells BBC Newsbeat that the esports version of the Olympics will strive for equal participation of male and female gamers. Alban was approached to advise the IOC as part of its strategy to attract younger audiences. He sees this as a significant opportunity for competitive gaming to reach new demographics. 'For 20 years, esports and gaming have been growing,' he says. 'It's evident that it's not just a passing trend. We've seen millions of people watching the biggest finals for years. There's less fear and more excitement about the potential.

Alban recounts that the turning point came during the 2022 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, which featured esports events alongside traditional sports. 'People from the Olympic Committee attended and were like, OK, now we get it,' he says. Despite declaring the experiment a success, the Commonwealth Games Federation did not reveal plans to hold a separate event at the 2026 games in Australia. Alban believes this is the right decision as it prevents existing games from becoming even larger. 'It would be challenging for any city to host,' he says. 'I think it allows more space for a celebration of gaming and esports instead of being just one of the additional sports. ' Before joining G2 Esports, Alban worked at Riot Games, the studio behind League of Legends.

The specific games to be included in the competition have not yet been confirmed, but titles like Rocket League, League of Legends, EA FC, and Street Fighter were featured in the Asia and Commonwealth Games. There's ongoing debate about whether first-person shooters such as Call of Duty and Counter-Strike 2, which have massive tournament scenes, will be included. Alban expresses doubts about their inclusion in the initial stages. 'If you ask me, is it going to happen next year? Probably not,' he says. 'I think it's entirely possible in the future, finding a balance with the values that the Olympic Committee wants to project. ' One significant difference will be players competing under their national flags, a prospect that excites Alban. 'Everybody wants to see what a Danish team will do against a Korean team,' he says. 'I would love to see it too. ' This also opens up the possibility of superstar players from rival teams joining forces to compete for their national sides.

Women remain underrepresented at the highest levels of esports competitions. The organisers of the Esports World Cup have faced criticism over their stance on LGBT relationships and the lack of rights for women. Similar concerns about 'sportswashing' - the practice of hosting major events to distract from these issues - have followed the Olympic announcement. Alban shares that his experiences in Saudi Arabia, where several high-profile esports events have been held, have been positive. Like the world cup organisers, he says he has received assurances from Saudi officials that the competition will be open to everyone, regardless of gender or sexuality. However, not everyone is convinced, and the world cup has also faced criticism for its lack of female representation, with only one out of 22 events specifically for women. The rest are open to all but do not feature many female professionals. Alban acknowledges that the esports industry has so far 'failed' female players who are currently underrepresented at the top level. 'Talented and gifted players are there, but we don't give them enough chances to perform at the highest level and we don't provide enough pathways for them to become pros,' he says. He promises that the Olympic Esports Games will be different, aiming for equal participation from the inaugural event next year. 'There's a commitment to aim for full parity. And that would be a game changer, not just for the Olympics, but for esports too,' he says.