News & Media

4 October 2023, Hangzhou, China – The Esports event, which made its official medal sport debut at the 19^th Asian Games in Hangzhou, came to an impressive conclusion on October 2, 2023, with the DOTA 2 finals between Team China and Team Mongolia. A total of 30 participating National Olympic Committees (NOCs) with 473 athletes showed strong support, competing for 21 medals across 219 matches spanning various categories. The event featured seven game titles, starting with EA FC Online, followed by Arena of Valor Asian Games Version, League of Legends, Street Fighter V: Champion Edition, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, Peace Elite Asian Games Version, and DOTA 2.

The People's Republic of China secured the most medals, totalling five, with four of them being gold medals. They were closely followed by the Republic of Korea and Thailand.

Throughout the event, the Esports Center welcomed officials from other sports organizations such as the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball, International Shooting Sport Federation, OCA Officials, NOCs Officials from various countries, and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organizing Committee (AINAGOC) for the 2026 Asian Games. They came to observe the Esports event at the 19th Asian Games.

_{AESF COO, Mr. Steve Kim, with Governer of Aichi Prefecture, Mr. Hideaki Omura and Mr. Hideo Nakata, Deputy Mayor of Nagoya City, as well as his delegation from the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organizing Committee (AINAGOC) at the Hangzhou Esports Center.}

The Esports event at the 19^th Asian Games received unwavering support from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the Hangzhou Asian Games Olympic Committee (HAGOC), and the General Administration of Sport of China, along with the participating National Olympic Committees (NOCs). The OCA congratulated the success of Esports at the 19^th Asian Games, citing it as an exemplary achievement, and expressed anticipation for even greater success in the upcoming 20^thAsian Games in Aichi-Nagoya in 2026.

Concurrently, AESF successfully hosted its 3^rd Executive Board Meeting and 1^st AESF Grand Meeting in Hangzhou, coinciding with the 19^th Asian Games. The OCA extended its full support to the decisions made by the AESF Executive Board Members during the meeting. The OCA expressed its hope that AESF, under the leadership of President Kenneth Fok and the Executive Board Members, would continue to advance the Esports journey and its banner, aiming for greater heights.

AESF will organize the Demonstration Event for VR Sport, AIES Ultimate Battle Robots, and XR Sport, Steelraid presentation titles in late October 2023. This event will mark the conclusion of the Esports event at the 19th Asian Games.

Looking ahead, Esports will continue its journey at the Asian Indoors and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Thailand in 2024, followed by the 20^th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya in 2026.

_{Mr. Kee Heung Lee, President of Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and IOC Member together with Mr. Sebastian Lau, AESF Director General presenting the medals and flower bouquet during the Victory Ceremony for League of Legends event.}

_{AESF President, Mr. Kenneth Fok, together with AESF Director General, Mr. Sebastian Lau, were the presenters of medals and flower bouquet during the Peace Elite Asian Games Version Victory Ceremony.}

_{Mr. Battushig Batbold, President of Mongolian NOC and IOC member together with Dato' Nazifuddin Najib, Secretary General of Malaysian NOC presented the medals and flower bouquet during the DOTA 2 Victory Ceremony.}

_{1st AESF Grand Meeting}

_{1st AESF Grand Meeting}

_{3rd Executive Board Member Meeting}

_{AESF President and Director General at the 1st AESF Grand Meeting}

_{AESF President with OCA Honorary Vice President, Mr. Wei Ji Zhong.}

_{AESF Director General with Acting President of OCA, Mr. Raja Randhir Singh.}