The Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) has confirmed that the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 will feature esports as an Official Medal Sport. Medals won under esports will count in a country’s official tally in medal standings.
This was approved during the 39th Olympic Council Of Asia (OCA) General Assembly.
Esports, classified under metal sports with the likes of Chess, Xiangqi, Go and Bridge, will be one 40 sports at the 2022 Asian Games. There will be six medal events under esports, and no game has been confirmed yet so far.
There have been movements of making esports being recognised as a proper sport, with the goal to have it recognised and played at the Olympics.
Esports have appeared at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan and the Asian Games in 2018. But only as a demonstration event. The 2019 SEA Games in Manilla featured esports as an official sport- the first in SEA Games history.
“It will be a great honour for everybody to have [the esports community] participating in these Asian Games as players, as officials and technical delegate members,” said OCA’s Asian Games Director, Mr Haider Farman.
“I hope that electronic sports will add value to the Asian Games – and I am sure it will in the future, during the Asian Games 2022 and even beyond that.”
AESF President, Mr Kenneth Fok said: “This success story will be celebrated by AESF and all in the esports community together. Our past successes are rightfully commended but we always look forward to more achievements for our entire esports community.”