In a
statement published only in Chinese this Monday, September 28, the Olympic Council of Asia responded to reports published since Sunday, September 27, including by
Sheep Esports, stating that esports will no longer be part of the
Asian Games program after the ongoing
Aichi-Nagoya Games. The article was published by
Sheep Esports following the recent announcement of the first Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games, set to take place in Kuwait in 2027, which was confirmed ahead of the 2026 Asian Games on September 19.
Esports is expected to remain part of the Asian Games, but
In its statement, the OCA said it was responding to “recent online reports claiming that ‘esports will be removed from the Asian Games after 2026.'“ It therefore stated that “The OCA has not made or issued any decision regarding the removal of esports from the Asian Games. Claims that ‘esports is leaving the Asian Games’ do not reflect the OCA’s plans.”
Director General Husain Al-Musallam. Credit: OCA
These comments were backed by
OCA Director General Husain Al-Musallam, also Secretary General of Kuwait Olympic Committee and President of World Aquatics, in the following quote in full, translated from the Chinese statement:
“The popularity of esports in Asia was a key consideration behind this decision. The creation of the Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games is intended to give Asian athletes more opportunities to showcase their talent and will not diminish the standing of esports on the Asian Games program. The OCA will continue to support the development of esports in Asia as it always has and will further promote esports at the other Games under its umbrella.”
“unanimously approved”
These comments directly contradict the information reported by Sheep Esports, as well as by numerous media outlets since Sunday, which nevertheless came directly from the Olympic Council of Asia. Indeed, according to
an official document outlining the decisions of the OCA Executive Board’s 90th meeting, held on November 26, 2024, “
the Executive Board also unanimously approved the proposal of the Esports […] Committee to remove the Esports from the Asian Games Programme after the Aichi Nagoya Asian Games and hold a separate Asian Esports and Mind Games.” The document was also signed at the time by Husain Al-Musallam, the OCA’s Director General.
Credit: OCA - 90th OCA Executive Board Meeting 26 November 2024 (Virtually)
There is therefore now a contradiction between this decision officially approved in November 2024 and the position expressed by the OCA this Monday, September 28. The organization now states that it has “not made or issued any decision regarding the removal of esports from the Asian Games,” while its 2024 document clearly refers to a unanimous approval aimed at removing esports from the program after Aichi-Nagoya.
An uncertain future
In the absence of further clarification from the OCA regarding the status of this 2024 decision, it therefore remains difficult to establish whether it has since been cancelled or amended or whether the organization now considers that it no longer constitutes a final decision regarding the Asian Games program. One thing is nevertheless clear: in its September 28 statement, the OCA denies that esports is currently set to leave the Asian Games after 2026.
Pending an exact clarification, the next edition after Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will be held in Doha, Qatar, in 2030. The OCA’s plans for esports within the Asian Games therefore remain to be clarified. It should also be noted that, before this September 28 statement, there had been no recent public communication from the OCA indicating any reversal of this 2024 decision.
In the same statement, as reported by
Xinhua, one of China’s two major news agencies, the organization reiterated and confirmed that its new competition will indeed take place in 2027, “
confirming that Kuwait will host the inaugural Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games in 2027.”Sheep Esports welcomes the OCA and Husain Al-Musallam to clarify this apparent contradiction, and in particular to explain whether the decision unanimously approved by the OCA Executive Board in November 2024 has since been amended, withdrawn, or otherwise changed, and how that decision should now be understood in light of the OCA’s September 28 statement. In this context, and in conjunction with this article, Sheep Esports sent an email to the Olympic Council of Asia with some questions.
