The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will partner with leading international sports federations (ISFs) and game publishers to offer the first-ever Olympic event for virtual sports video game enthusiasts all around the world — the Olympic Virtual Series (OVS). Taking place from May 13 to June 23, the series will encourage the development of physical and non-physical virtual forms of sports, with a focus on regulating fair competition, respecting the values of sport in these virtual forms, and reaching out to new audiences, in line with the recommendations of the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020+5.
The IOC will partner with five ISFs and game publishers in baseball, cycling, rowing, sailing and motorsport for the inaugural Olympic Virtual Series, the first-ever, Olympic-licensed event for physical and non-physical virtual sports.
Taking place ahead of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the OVS will begin on May 13, continuing through to June 23.
"The Olympic Virtual Series is a new, unique Olympic digital experience that aims to grow direct engagement with new audiences in the field of virtual sports. Its conception is in line with Olympic Agenda 2020+5 and the IOC’s Digital Strategy. It encourages sports participation and promotes the Olympic values, with a special focus on youth," said IOC President Thomas Bach.
The OVS creates a stage to connect the physical sporting world with the virtual and simulation sports gaming community, providing an opportunity to engage with the Olympic Movement. Each IF 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.
All five OVS events will differ in form and concept, and will operate via the sport’s respective publisher platform where participants will be able to take part. Fans will have the opportunity to engage and follow the events on the Olympic Channel.
In line with Recommendation 9 of Olympic Agenda 2020+5, which states “Encourage the development of virtual sports and further engage with video gaming communities”, the launch of the first-ever OVS supports the IOC’s Digital Strategy and aims to leverage the growing popularity of virtual sport to promote the Olympic Movement, Olympic values and sports participation and grow direct relations with young people.
It supports the ISFs in further establishing virtual and simulated forms of sports as a discipline within their regulations and strategies. Building on the success of their respective events, both the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), along with other International Federations such as the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and World Taekwondo (WT) have confirmed their excitement and commitment to exploring inclusion in future editions of the OVS.
The following International Federations and gaming publishers will be part of the Olympic Virtual Series:
– World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) – eBaseball Powerful Pro Baseball 2020, Konami Digital Entertainment
– Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) – Zwift, Zwift inc.
– World Rowing – Open format
– World Sailing – Virtual Regatta, Virtual Regatta SAS
– Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) – Gran Turismo, Polyphony Digital
