China's 2021 National Games Welcome eSports as Amateur Event
Dou Shicong
DATE:  Jan 17 2018
/ SOURCE:  Yicai
China's 2021 National Games Welcome eSports as Amateur Event China's 2021 National Games Welcome eSports as Amateur Event

(Yicai Global) Jan. 17 -- The 14th National Games of China will host gaming as one of its 28 amateur sports this year.

The Electronic Sports Department under the General Administration of Sports of China is taking on board consultants' opinions and promulgating official standards, Tencent-backed QQ Sports reported. The event will take place in Xi'an, Shaanxi province in 2021.

Organizers plan to add nine new amateur sports to the competition. The events do not count toward official medal tallies and only allow amateur athletes to compete. They were brought in at the Tianjin National Games of China last year to make the national contest more accessible. There were 19 amateur sports in 2017. They included badminton, a marathon and chess.

The sports body listed eSports as the country's 78th official discipline in 2008. It confirmed last year that gaming will be a part of the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. The International e-Sports Federation is also applying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

China's three most popular games: League of Legends, Dota 2 and Arena of Valor are all expected to be included in the 2021 National Games, the report added.

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Keywords:   National Games of China of China,Xi'An,Asian Games,Esports