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LONDON. — The first Commonwealth Esports Championships is to be held at the same time as Birmingham 2022, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) announced yesterday.
Esports are to be included as a pilot event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The Championships will be completely independent of the sporting programme in Birmingham, but will provide esports athletes from across the Commonwealth with the opportunity to compete for medals.
The Championships are due to be held at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on August 6 and 7, with a Commonwealth Esports Forum set to take place a day earlier at the same venue in the build-up.
The CGF and Global Esports Federation (GEF) announced a partnership to develop a Commonwealth Esports Strategy in May 2020, while the exploration of esports was one of the areas identified in the Commonwealth Sport 2026-2030 strategic roadmap.
The Championships will have separate medals and branding, and be organised separately to the Commonwealth Games, although the CGF Executive Board has approved it taking place alongside Birmingham 2022, which is due to be held between July 28 and August 8.
Titles for the Championships are set to be announced at a later date.
The event will also include demonstrations of active esports, as well as showcasing some of the technology that helps bring together sports and esports.
The Championships are set to be supported by the British Esports Association and the Business and Tourism Programme, which aims to maximise the economic impact of the Commonwealth Games, as well as the West Midlands Growth Company, which drives tourism, investment and major events in the region.
“I am delighted that we are announcing the first Commonwealth Esports Championships and Commonwealth Esports Forum to take place in Birmingham this summer,” CGF President Dame Louise Martin said.
“Esports is continuing to grow dramatically in terms of popularity and participation, particularly amongst young people, and we are continuing to look at ways to explore how it can align with the Commonwealth Sports Movement.
“Commonwealth Esports Championships provides an excellent opportunity to pilot esports close to the Commonwealth Games.
“This will allow us to review the long-term relationship between the Commonwealth Games and esports as we continue to evolve and explore future editions of our event and what they could look like.
“I would like to thank the Global Esports Federation for their partnership with this exciting event, including the British Esports Association and the Business and Tourism Programme, who will help us bring this concept to life.”
GEF President Chris Chan added: “We are proud to establish yet another first for the world’s esports community. The inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championships comes hot on the heels of the first-ever Singapore 2021 Global Esports Games staged in December 2021, capturing more than 500 million views from around the world.
“The Commonwealth Esports Championships offers our community another exciting event in the global esports calendar.
“We look forward to welcoming the esports community to Birmingham in August.”
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to take place from July 28 to August 8. The inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championships will have separate branding, medals and organisation.
But there is hope within the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) that esports could become a part of the full programme by the 2026 Games.
Hamilton in Canada, frontrunners for the 2030 event, are also understood to be keen on esports being included.
Exploring esports is one of the recommendations outlined in the CGF’s strategic roadmap.
Despite opposition from some traditionalists, others believe such moves are needed to engage younger audiences.
In December the CGF’s new chief executive Katie Sadleir told the BBC that she was “open minded” about the inclusion of e-sports in the event.
She warned the Games could undergo “dramatic change” by the middle of the next decade. Future hosts will be given greater flexibility on the sports they include, with only athletics and swimming compulsory under a new plan designed to attract bids.
The result of talks between the CGF and the Global Esports Federation, the Commonwealth Esports Championships will run over two days at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham.
Esports will make its debut at this year’s Asian Games, with medals being awarded in eight games. — BBC Sport.
Online Reporter