<p>eSports has been named as a full medal event for the 2022 Asian Games, in a major step towards the mainstream for a sport that has long harboured Olympic ambitions.</p>.<p>eSports and breakdancing were both included on the programme for the Games in Hangzhou, China, at the Olympic Council of Asia's general assembly in Muscat this week.</p>.<p>"I hope that electronic sports will add value to the Asian Games -- and I am sure it will in the future, during the Asian Games 2022 and even beyond that," the OCA's Asian Games director, Haider Farman, said in a statement on Friday.</p>.<p>eSports was a popular demonstration event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, and a medal sport at last year's Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines.</p>.<p>Efforts to include eSports in the Olympics have so far faltered, but the coronavirus pandemic appeared to trigger a shift this year as organisers explored new ideas.</p>.<p>In April, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach called for the movement to "urgently" investigate electronic versions of sports and to approach game publishers.</p>.<p>This month breakdancing, skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing were approved for the Paris 2024 Olympics, as the Games strive to appeal to younger audiences.</p>
<p>eSports has been named as a full medal event for the 2022 Asian Games, in a major step towards the mainstream for a sport that has long harboured Olympic ambitions.</p>.<p>eSports and breakdancing were both included on the programme for the Games in Hangzhou, China, at the Olympic Council of Asia's general assembly in Muscat this week.</p>.<p>"I hope that electronic sports will add value to the Asian Games -- and I am sure it will in the future, during the Asian Games 2022 and even beyond that," the OCA's Asian Games director, Haider Farman, said in a statement on Friday.</p>.<p>eSports was a popular demonstration event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, and a medal sport at last year's Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines.</p>.<p>Efforts to include eSports in the Olympics have so far faltered, but the coronavirus pandemic appeared to trigger a shift this year as organisers explored new ideas.</p>.<p>In April, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach called for the movement to "urgently" investigate electronic versions of sports and to approach game publishers.</p>.<p>This month breakdancing, skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing were approved for the Paris 2024 Olympics, as the Games strive to appeal to younger audiences.</p>