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17 December 2020
Esports Returns, As Proposed by the HAGOC for the 2022 Asian Games
The Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) is proud to officially confirm that Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee and the China Olympic Committee has proposed for the inclusion of esports in the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
 
Proposed during the 39th OCA General Assembly, the approval is certainly great news for the esports scene, in particular, the Asian esports community. This outcome is a step forward in the right direction as the esports community have been striving hard for the past few years in not only bringing esports into the mainstream limelight, but also a step closer to the biggest stage of all, the Olympics. In attendance, to witness this historic proposal at the OCA General Assembly meeting is the President Mr. Kenneth Fok and Director General Mr. Sebastian Lau of AESF.
 
Esports has since recently been in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and Asian Games in 2018 in Jakarta-Palembang. In 2019, the Manila SEA Games made history as for the first time ever, esports was included as an official sport in a regional multi-sports event. The momentum carries on as in 2021, esports will again be part of the festivities at the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam and 2021 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Chonburi, Thailand.
 
Conducted online due to the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the main talking points at the 39th OCA General Assembly focused on the growing trend and influence of esports. To support the HAGOC with After the General Assembly, AESF presented a report chronicling the development and how far esports have progressed throughout Asia, by highlighting the inclusion of esports in major regional sporting events in recent years which will be distributed to the OCA and all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) families across Asia. To fully harness the potential and achieve maximum coverage of esports in the region, the importance of including this growing industry in the biggest sporting events in the region cannot be understated.
AESF Exclusive Esports Report which will be distributed to the OCA and all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) families across Asia
OCA President, H.E. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah

OCA President, H.E. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah commented, “For Esports, as everyone knows, we are the founder of esports in our Asian Indoor Games [in 2007] for the first time. The Asian Electronic Sports Federation is led by Mr. [Kenneth] Fok. I will work together with Kenneth Fok to promote esports in Asia.”
 
The addition of esports at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou represents OCA’s commitment in evolving and progressing with the times. The AESF looks forward to working closely with the OCA, COC, LOC, and NOCs in staging the most successful Esports event yet. Esports is closer to its rightful position in the competitive sporting scene and we look forward to a continuous and concentrated effort from everyone involved.