New Heroes, New Games, Same Gold
Esports and politics? A connection that is often underestimated by the general public. In contrast, it is widely known that traditional sporting events such as the Olympic Games are politically charged. Esports is now increasingly moving into the spotlight on the Olympic stage: from 2025, esports will become part of the Olympic program. A milestone that raises not only sporting, but also geopolitical and social questions.
As part of the established Games&Politics livestream format, we discussed the complex political dimensions of esports together with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation on November 28. Under the title Olympia goes Esports. New Heroes, New Games, Same Gold experts shed light on the developments, opportunities and challenges of esports as an Olympic discipline.
Esports – a global phenomenon with geopolitical implications
Esports is no longer a fringe phenomenon. The scene attracts millions of players and viewers worldwide. At the same time, esports has developed into a geopolitical playing field. One example of this is Saudi Arabia, which invests heavily in the scene through major events such as the Esports World Cup and its involvement in the Olympic Games.
But what is behind this commitment? What political and economic interests are driving it? These questions were addressed by a high-profile panel including Philipp Burkhardt, Country Consultant for the Middle East and North Africa at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), and Manouchehr Shamsrizi, Associate Fellow at the Center for Geopolitics, Geo-Economics and Technology at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).
Burkhardt and Shamsrizi emphasized that the Olympic recognition of esports opens a new chapter for cultural exchange and international diplomacy. At the same time, they warned of potential geopolitical tensions that could be exacerbated by one-sided funding and political interests.
Regulation and promotion: a need for political action
In addition to the geopolitical issues, the question of national structures also arose. How should esports be promoted, regulated and politically represented? Here, the necessity and responsibility of state institutions to create clear framework conditions became apparent – especially with regard to youth development and popular sports.
A central topic was the formation of identity through national teams. The Olympic integration of esports could permanently change the representation of nations on the global stage. Sport and cultural policy meet directly here, which could lead to new forms of national identity formation. At the same time, esports is also increasingly being perceived as a serious sporting discipline in youth culture.
Why politicians can no longer ignore esports
The highlight of the event was the concluding discussion: “Why politicians should no longer ignore esports.” While the first federal states are already making progress in promoting esports and individual politicians are taking up the issue, there is still a lack of broad political recognition in many places.
One thing is clear: Esports is no longer a niche topic. Esports is becoming increasingly important in areas such as education, business and international cooperation. Olympic recognition now offers the opportunity to establish esports as an integral part of the political agenda.
Olympics as a bridge for esports
The inclusion of esports in the Olympic family is a historic step that goes far beyond the sporting level. It brings new opportunities for cultural exchange, diplomatic relations and the political classification of esports. At the same time, it challenges us to find clear answers to questions of regulation, promotion and identity.
Games&Politics has shown that esports is political, globally relevant and deserves to be more widely recognized – both in politics and in society.
We at the esports player foundation are looking forward to continuing this dialog with partners such as the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and actively shaping the future of esports.
For all those who missed the event, the entire stream is still available on the Twitch channel of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation: