THE ESPORTS ADVOCATE
  • Money
  • People
  • Brands
No Result
View All Result
SUBSCRIBE
THE ESPORTS ADVOCATE
No Result
View All Result
Home Games

A Web of Relationships and the Olympic Esports Series

Global Esports Federation and the International Olympic Committee respond to accusations of influence on the game selection process.

James FudgebyJames Fudge
March 18, 2023
in Games, Money
GEF Refract Olympic Esports Entanglements

Credit: IOC/ Eyestetix Studio on Unsplash

Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare on RedditShare on Weibo

On March 4, The Esports Advocate reported that two of the games selected for the Olympic Esports Series—Virtual Taekwondo and Tic Tac Bow—were developed by Refract Technologies, a Singapore-based development studio with direct ties to the Global Esports Federation. Tic Tac Bow, a “pay-to-win” mobile game was only recently released, but somehow managed to be the official game to represent the real world sport.  

You might also like

Electronic Arts to Cut 6% of Workforce as Part of New Restructuring Plan

How a Quebec-Based Snack Maker’s Play Into Affiliate Marketing Fizzled

First Citizens BancShares to Acquire Silicon Valley Bridge Bank

Even after being made aware of TEA’s report on the connections between Refract Technologies, Global Esports Federation, and other entities, GEF Director of Communications Gabriel Q. Chan insisted in two statements emailed to TEA earlier this week that it had no involvement in the selection process:

“I reiterate that the Global Esports Federation is not involved in any capacity in the planning and operations of the Olympic Esports Series. Perhaps you would consider contacting the International Olympic Committee regarding your fundamental question on the titles’ selection process.”

TEA did just that. International Olympic Committee Head of Virtual Sport & Gaming Vincent Pereira (who has been traveling over the last week), issued a statement to TEA on Saturday. In it he highlights how games were selected for Olympic Esports Series 2023, and what entities were involved in the process. We have put emphasis on some of those facts within the statement below:

A primary goal of the Olympic Agenda 2020 + 5 is to support and promote the development of virtual sports throughout the Olympic Movement. This is why we have focused first on virtual and simulated sports games in the competition series. The Olympic Games has always offered a diverse programme. In order to build a similarly diverse programme for the Olympic Esports Series 2023, we have partnered with International Federations (IFs), who in turn propose game developer partnerships.

When considering these proposals, it is important to the IOC that the featured games in the Olympic Esports Series align with the Olympic Values. This includes participation inclusivity, such as technical barriers to entry, the gender split of player base and avoiding any personal violence, in line with the IOC’s mission to unite the world in peaceful competition.

In addition to this, as is the case with the Olympic Games host cities, the local organising committee (LOC) of Singapore, were invited to propose events on the programme. They have selected Taekwondo and Archery. Following the same process outlined above, World Taekwondo and World Archery proposed a collaborator to deliver their corresponding games. In this case, they have partnered with a local games studio, which was approved by the IOC.

Only in its second edition, the number of events in the Olympic Esports Series has already doubled. We have had interesting and encouraging conversations with a number of other IFs and game publishers, and expect additional titles to be added to the Olympic Esports Series line up in the coming weeks.

Entanglements Everywhere

Now knowing—according to the IOC’s own statement above about how games were selected—let’s look at the relationships that could have had a strong influence on why these particular games were selected:

Singapore-based Refract Technologies’ CEO and Co-founder Michael Chng, Executive Director and Co-Founder Chong Geng Ng, and Co-Founder Eugene Koh have ties to either the Global Esports Federation, Singapore Esports Association, or both. Chong Geng Ng is a co-founder and board member of the Global Esports Federation and president of the Singapore Esports Association (SGEA). Michael Chng is a member of the “Digital, Technology & Innovation Commission” of the Global Esports Federation. Eugene Koh is a founding member of both the Singapore Cybersports & Gaming Association (SCOGA) and Singapore Esports Association (SGEA).

Chris Chan, the current president of the Global Esports Federation, is also the secretary general of the Singapore National Olympic Council, which had decision making power on the selection of games that were chosen for the Olympic Esports Series.

On July 13, 2021, Global Esports Federation announced a partnership with Refract (a company that several of its members co-founded) as a “global partner for interactive technology.”

As Pereira notes in his statement, World Taekwondo and World Archery (having direct financial ties to a single developer) both partnered with Refract (a company owned by Global Esports Federation founding members and executives) and had an important amount of influence in putting forward Tic Tac Bow and Virtual Taekwondo for inclusion in the Olympic Esports Series. Further, Chris Chan—the current president of the Global Esports Federation and the secretary general of the Singapore National Olympic Council—had a direct hand in deciding what games and local developers to support. 

The Global Esports Federation’s statement that it did not have a seat at the table as an officially recognized organization when Virtual Taekwondo and Tic Tac Bow were selected is true, but its current president and two of Refract’s partners did. World Archery and World Taekwondo (partners with financial ties to Refract) pushed both games when the Singapore National Olympic Council was making selections and Global Esports Federation President Chris Chan—serving in his capacity as secretary general of the Singapore National Olympic Council—certainly had a strong influence on what games received final approval.

The only organization that doesn’t appear to have any entanglements is the International Olympic Committee, which relies heavily on the local committee in the region (Singapore) making the selections and then approving it.

On a related note, South Korean hardware manufacturer Samsung Electronics announced a partnership with Refract related to Virtual Taekwondo earlier this month. 

Tags: GEFGlobal Esports FederationInternational Olympic CommitteeIOCOlympic Esports SeriesRefract TechnologiesTic Tac BowVirtual TaeKwondoWorld Taekwondo
James Fudge

James Fudge

James has been covering the video games industry for nearly 23 years. He currently publishes two esports business newsletters: People on the Move and The Fudge Retort.

Recommended For You

Electronic Arts to Cut 6% of Workforce as Part of New Restructuring Plan

March 29, 2023
EA Restructuring Plan March 2023

Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: EA) announced that it will cut approximately 6% of its global workforce as part of a restructuring plan. In a U.S. Securities & Exchange (SEC)...

Read more

How a Quebec-Based Snack Maker’s Play Into Affiliate Marketing Fizzled

March 28, 2023
Sizzle Popcorn Allegedly Owes Former Employees and Affiliates Money

Social media posts from former affiliates and workers in late-February alleged that Quebec-based snack maker Sizzle Popcorn failed to pay commissions on the sale of its popcorn and...

Read more

First Citizens BancShares to Acquire Silicon Valley Bridge Bank

March 27, 2023
First Citizens BancShares Silicon Valley Bank SVB

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) announced Sunday that First–Citizens Bank & Trust Company of Raleigh, North Carolina (First Citizens BancShares), officially entered into a "purchase and assumption...

Read more

Breaking: FaZe Sent Deficiency Warning by Nasdaq

March 24, 2023
Faze Gets Delisting Warning

According to a filing with the SEC on Friday, FaZe Holdings announced that it has been sent a letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock...

Read more

The Path: Conversations With TSM’s All-Women Apex Legends Team

March 23, 2023
The Path: Conversations With TSM’s All-Women Apex Legends Team

At the end of January, TSM signed an all-women roster to take aim at the Apex Legends competitive scene. The new squad consists of some of the best...

Read more
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Statement
  • Subscribe to our Newsletter
  • Our Mission Statement
  • Contact Us

© 2022/2023 The Esports Advocate. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • #952 (no title)
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Statement
  • Subscribe to our Newsletter
  • Our Mission Statement
  • Contact Us

© 2022/2023 The Esports Advocate. All rights reserved.

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?