The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to suspend the work of its Esports Commission, casting doubt on the future of the Olympic Esports Games initiative. This was reported by the Japanese news agency Kyodo.
The shift in direction is linked to the new IOC President, Kirsty Coventry, who took office in June 2025. She is said to hold a more conservative stance toward traditional sports.
At the end of January, Coventry sent a message to commission members stating: “I am taking responsibility for the further development of this direction. In the next phase, we will need a more integrated approach that clearly aligns with the overall strategy of the Olympic Movement.”
The Olympic Esports Games were originally announced by former IOC President Thomas Bach during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The initial strategy was based on a 12-year partnership with Saudi Arabia, where the debut tournament was planned for 2025.
In February 2025, it was decided to postpone the first edition from 2025 to 2027 to allow for better preparation of the competition model. On October 30, 2025, the IOC and Saudi Arabia officially announced the end of their partnership, choosing to pursue their esports ambitions separately. Saudi Arabia has since focused on the Esports Nations Cup.
As a reminder, Magnus Carlsen and several other top chess players will skip the Grand Chess Tour 2026 in favor of the Esports World Cup.
