Official Recognition to E-Sports

• 28 Dec 2022

For Prelims: E- Sports

For Mains: Opportunities and Challenges of E-Sports

Why in News?

Recently, the President of India amended the regulations governing eSports and requested that the Sports Ministry and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology include "eSports in multi-sport events."

• The President is empowered under Article 77 (3) of the Constitution to make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of India, and for the allocation among Ministers of the said business.
• According to a gazette notification, E-Sports will now be a part of the “multisports event” category in India.

What is E-Sports?

• About:
  • Esports (Electronic Sports) is a competitive sport where gamers use their physical and mental abilities to compete in various games in a virtual, electronic environment.
    • Example: Counter Strike, League of Legends, Overwatch, Fortnite, DOTA 2.
  • There had been a growing demand for Esports to be included in the curriculum of multi-discipline events after it was included in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games.
    • This, however, boosted E-sport enthusiasts and has come as a shot in the arm for Esports enthusiasts in India.
    • India won a bronze medal in 2018 Asian Games, where esports was included as a demonstration title.
  • It has received its sporting recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is the apex body of sports along with Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), Commonwealth Games etc.
    • IOC organized Virtual Olympic Series (Esports Tournament), before the Tokyo Olympics 2020;
    • Esports has been included in OCA events since 2007. Esports is a medal sports in Asian Games 2022.
  • In a similar effort to popularize e-Sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that Singapore will host the inaugural Olympic Esports Week in June, 2023.
• Nodal Ministry:
  • E-Sports will be taken care of by the Department of Sports under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
    • While 'Online Gaming' will be overseen by MEITY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology).
• Recognition of E-Sport as a Sport:
  • By now, countries such as the US, Finland, and even the somewhat reticent Germany have acknowledged esports as a sport.
  • The very first few nations (along with South Korea) to recognise esports as a sport were China and South Africa. Russia, Italy, Denmark, and Nepal have also joined.
  • Ukraine officially recognized esports as a sport in September of 2020.

Source: TH