Gaming To Be Included In The Olympics?
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Shortly after a group of British gamers were named the best in the world at their “sport”, they have called for it to be included as an official olympic event.
Teams from around the world have competed in the Championship Gaming Series (CGS), with a British team taking the prize of half a million dollars. The team, Birmingham Salvo, led by Michael O’Dell (no, not Michael Dell), competed against 18 other teams in the LA final, and beat San Fransisco, naming them the best gamers on the planet.
The team played a number of games from Fifa 08 to Counter Strike, and came up on top. O’Dell said: “I think there are tests going on at the moment about making gaming an Olympic sport. I would like to think that it will happen and maybe sooner rather than later.”
As much as I believe that a lot of effort is put into gaming, along with hard work, sweat and tears, I don’t think that it is deserving of being an official Olympic sport. The olympics is about passion of sport, health, fitness and pushing yourself beyond the boundries. As much passion as a gamer may have for his trade, fitness, health and ultimate traning. In my opinion, sitting on a console incorporates passion, but not fitness.
What do you think? Should gaming be an offical Olympic sport or not? Could we see gaming by the 2012 Olympics, or does it just not make the grade? What do you think of the Birmingham Salvo? Are the a deserving group? Leave a comment with your thoughts.
3 Comments
souljabwoy
August 8th, 2008
at 10:55am
Ahhhh…shiznit! Here we go! I was waiting for the arguments to begin as to why professional gaming should be included in the Olympics.
Professional Gaming is a bona fide sport. And the practictioners who play are the true cyber-letes of tomorrow, but I agree that that they should not be an Olympic Sport. The Olympics are more than just a “sporting event” and even today, there are events included which in my opinion should not be a aprt of the games.
eSports will grow far beyond what it is today, perhaps to a level of professionalism and respect different but greater than the Olympics in the near future. It doesn’t need to be a part of the Olympic games. eSports will have its own international venue on the same type of grand scale. It’s time will come.
Pete
August 25th, 2008
at 5:05am
*crosses fingers*
in my opinion eSports are more deserving to be in the Olympics than other sports…such as table tennis
Shtanto
November 27th, 2008
at 11:44am
Don’t encourage the fanbois. Table tennis is a lot more difficult than Pong.
Sure everyone can play video games, but the spirit of the Olympics isn’t about the virtual.