The organizers of the 2024 Olympics is considering adding e-sports (mainly competitive video gaming) to the competitive program. The organizers' plan is understandable — interest in Olympics (and similar events) seems to be declining, particularly among youth, and popularity in e-sports is on the rise — medals in e-sports will be awarded in the 2022 Asian Games. The problem is, can such games and Olympics mix?
No (recent) Olympic Games is complete without scandals involving performance enhancing drugs/substances. If e-sports are added to the Olympic program, the sport's governing body (does such a organization exist? If so, is there just one?) would have to draw a list of banned substance beforehand. Even food and drink (e.g. caffeine) which keeps people awake can be considered a performance enhancing substance. If e-games are added to the Olympic program, there may be a lot of changes to the food choices at the athletes village.
If performance enhancing substances testing can be resolved, there is a little matter of which games to feature. Having the IOC's logo next to the game maker's would bring prestige, name recognition and revenue to the latter. The competition between game makers to have their product featured in the Olympics may be as exciting as the event itself. Will game makers bid for inclusion the same way cities bid for the right to host the Games? What will be the selection criteria (number of registered players, number of units sold/downloaded, number of spectators at events, "Wow factor")? Given the uncertain lifespan of games, will the game makers snubbed by the IOC hold "shadow games"?
The next question is broadcasting. On-line broadcasts of top level e-sport events attract large on-line viewerships, but will people watch it on TV? Since attractiveness to (TV) viewers probably plays a big part in whether a sport is added to the Olympic program, e-sport likely needs to expand its audience before it becomes an Olympic sport.
The Olympics may need new attractions, but does e-sports need the Olympics? Do e-athletes prefer to be outsiders or do they wish to join the mainstream? If the top players prefer the former, the organizers should look for other ways to boost the Game's attractiveness. It seems more logical for e-games to go the X-games route. That way the issues above would become irrelevant.
While we may eventually see Olympics featuring people compete for medals by playing video games, that day is still far away.