Virtual Gliding's Olympic Dreams Take Shape at IOC Esports Forum
Credits: © IOC/Christophe Moratal06/06/2025 - Lausanne
In an exciting development for the world of virtual gliding, representatives from the FAI, FAI Virtual Gliding, and the Condor Team were invited to attend the prestigious Olympic Esports Games Publisher and Developer Forum held at the Olympic House in Lausanne. This forum, hosted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), marks a significant step on the road to the first Olympic Esports Games in 2027.
The forum brought together leaders from across the Olympic Movement and the global community of game publishers and developers. It aimed to create a platform for IOC and esports experts to share their knowledge and experience, fostering deeper collaboration between these communities. The presence of Chris Wedgwood (OXO) from the Condor Team underscored the importance of this event for the gliding movement, as we strive to integrate virtual gliding into the Olympic Esports Games.
A Vision for the Future
IOC President Thomas Bach and President-elect Kirsty Coventry welcomed guests to the Olympic Museum, emphasizing the shared commitment to building something new and meaningful. The forum featured presentations, panel discussions, and opportunities for open dialogue, all aimed at shaping the future of Olympic esports.
The IOC shared its vision for the first Olympic Esports Games, set to be hosted with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Saudi Arabia. This event promises to be a game-changer, bringing together the best of both the sports and esports worlds. For the Olympic Movement, this means connecting with new communities in authentic, inclusive, and future-focused ways. For the esports ecosystem, it offers a unique opportunity to scale up, stand out, and shape the future on a truly global stage.
Key Themes and Discussions
The forum explored several key themes, including respect, friendship, inclusion, innovation, community, and excellence. These sessions highlighted the diverse landscape of elite gaming and the opportunities for growth and collaboration between sports and esports.
- Respect – Celebrating Esports Diversity: This session explored how game publishers, platforms, and sports bodies are shaping the competitive landscape and building sustainable, culturally relevant esports ecosystems.
- Friendship – Growing Sports through Gaming: This session focused on the development of virtual sports within the Olympic Movement, promoting relationships between International Federations (IFs) and game publishers.
- Inclusion – Welcoming Everyone: Diversity, inclusion, and universality are at the heart of the Olympic Movement. This session discussed how esports and gaming can break down barriers and build inclusive, accessible pathways in competitive gaming.
- Innovation – Leveraging Technology for the Future of Sports: Innovation continues to shape sports and esports, with virtual reality, AI, and data analytics rapidly evolving the landscape. This session explored these topics and their impact on training, online safety, and fan engagement.
- Community – Igniting Local Development: The Olympic Movement brings a unique asset: a global network of 206 NOCs, each deeply rooted in local communities. This session looked at the opportunities for esports to grow at every level, supporting talent, building infrastructure, and engaging new players and fans.
- Excellence – Striving to Be the Best: Traditional sports and esports performance excellence share the same core values: hard work, discipline, and commitment. This session highlighted the synergies between performance in both worlds and the opportunities to support the next generation of high performers.
Looking Ahead
The insights, learnings, opportunities, and challenges shared during the forum will now be taken into planning for the first Olympic Esports Games. The IOC, with the NOC of Saudi Arabia, founding partner of the Esports World Cup Federation, is committed to making the Olympic Esports Games a resounding success.
For virtual gliding, this forum represents a crucial step in our journey to become part of the Olympic Esports Games. We are optimistic and enthusiastic about this inaugural event and the unique opportunity it provides to further strengthen our sport, enhance our infrastructure, and build a robust community.
The entire Virtual Gliding movement has been delighted and very thankful for being invited to take part in such discussions with great leaders and key actors of the sports and esports worlds. We are hoping to be invited again to Lausanne to continue discussions around the Olympic Esports Games and the potential inclusion of our sport at the OEG. Additionally, we are happy to announce that the FAI Virtual Gliding bid is being supported by our partner Thrustmaster, who believes strongly in our project and in the potential of Virtual Gliding.
As we look forward to the next steps in this adventure, we remain committed to our goals and excited about the future of virtual gliding. Stay tuned for more updates and join us as we continue to soar to new heights!
For more information on our journey and previous updates, please visit our previous press release and registration page for the 3rd FAI Virtual SGP!
Read the press release from the IOC about this forum here.
Stay connected and follow our next FAI VG Events for more exciting news and updates!
