The International Olympic Committee unveils the Olympic Virtual Series

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has partnered with five international sports federations and video game publishers to launch the Olympic Virtual Series (OVS), the first licensed Olympic event for virtual sports.

DreamHack Sports Games, the sports arm of sports MTG, has been selected to manage the marketing and production of OVS.

The event, timed to coincide with the start of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo (due to the pandemic, the competition will be held this year), will be held from May 13 to June 23 and will include virtual sports and e-sports in such sports as baseball, cycling, rowing, sailing and motorsport.

Games featured in the Olympic Virtual Series will feature eBaseball Powerful Pro Baseball 2020, Zwift, Virtual Regatta and Gran Turismo. It is not yet clear which game will be introduced as a guide to esports rowing.

The first Olympic Virtual Series will feature several international sports federations, including the World Confederation of Baseball and Softball, the International Cyclists' Union, the International Rowing Federation, the International Sailing Federation and the International Automobile Federation.

Each federation will manage their respective event and fans will be able to follow the OVS on the Olympic Channel.

The 2020 version of the Olympic Agenda specifically calls for the development of virtual sports and further engagement with the video game community. The launch of the OVS signals movement in this direction to leverage the popularity of esports to advance the Olympic movement.