"White Paper on Esports Competitions" and the "Esports Competition Organization and Operation Handbook" of the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games Released
01 OCT 24The AESF, the China Sports Information Centre (CSIC), and the Gongshu District People's Government of Hangzhou City officially released the "White Paper on Esports Competitions" and the "Esports Competition Organization and Operation Handbook" of the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games on 30th September 2024, on the first anniversary of the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games, in Hangzhou, China. This initiative stems from the tri-party MoU signed earlier this year.
From left: Mr. Yue Yan, Mr. Ao Yuxin, and Mr. Sebastian Lau
Among the representatives present at the event were Mr. Yue Yan, Deputy Director of CSIC; Mr. Ao Yuxin, Deputy Secretary of the Gongshu District Party Committee and Acting District Mayor; and Mr. Sebastian Lau, Director General of AESF, along with district leaders and heads of Hangzhou Intellectual Sports Management Center, Zhejiang Game Industry Association, and Zhejiang E-sports Association.
As the Technical Delegate for the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games, AESF collaborated closely with CSIC’s Information and Technology Department and the Gongshu District People's Government, which oversaw esports venue operations, to conduct research and produce these papers. They are based on the expertise and experiences gained from successfully operating the esports event at the Games.
These publications build on the legacy of the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games and are designed to set new standards of professionalism in esports competitions while promoting knowledge sharing across the global esports’ community.
At the launch, Mr. Ao Yuxin, Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee and Acting District Head, welcomed the China Sports Information Center and AESF. He highlighted Gongshu District's success in hosting the esports event, which attracted 476 athletes from 30 countries and regions, along with 55,000 spectators. Mr. Ao stressed how the district, with support from regional and national sports federations, developed high standards for esports operations and hopes the "White Paper" and "Handbook" will further strengthen the global esports ecosystem and international competition organization.
Mr. Yue Yan, Deputy Director of China’s Sports Information Center, praised Gongshu District's professionalism in organizing the Asian Games. With esports debuting as a medal event, he emphasized the need for clear standards and operational guidelines. He hopes this initiative will boost the standardization, professionalism, and global growth of esports for a brighter future.
Mr. Sebastian Lau, Director General of AESF, expressed his honor to represent the federation at the event, noting how the Asian Games esports project gained significant attention globally. He praised Gongshu District for successfully hosting the event and developing a robust competition system. Mr. Lau believes the newly released "White Paper" and "Handbook" set the highest standards for esports and hopes for future collaboration with Gongshu District to advance Asian esports.
Since the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games were the first to feature esports as a medal event, these documents provide essential guidelines for future Olympic-related esports events, further strengthen the esports ecosystem, and consolidate the foundation for organizing international esports competitions.