Esports is set to make a second Asian Games appearance at Hangzhou 2022, scheduled for September 23 to October 8 following a COVID-19-induced postponement.

However, it only featured as a demonstration event in Indonesia but is an official medal event for the upcoming edition.

"With the joint effort of the Olympic Council of Asia, the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) and many partners, we are delighted to see that digital sports will make its debut as an official medal sport on the sports programme of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China," Al-Musallam told the Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing, a conference aiming to bring together sport and technology leaders to discuss how digital sports can drive technological advancement and promote environmental sustainability, via video.

"It will take digital sports to a whole new level in the Asian continent and inject a new energy into the entire Asian Games event.

"In recent years, we have seen the rise of one milestone after another in Asian digital sports, whether in terms of number of spectators or the scale of the events held or any other aspect.

"Asia digital sports takes the lead worldwide. 

"Having worked through the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat and 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, we are even more confident about the presence of esports at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

"We have reason to believe that digital sports in Asia will continue to create new benchmarks and milestones and lead the global digital sports industry to new heights and breakthroughs."

Medals are set to be won in PUBG Mobile, Dota 2, League of Legends, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, FIFA, Street Fighter V, and Arena of Valor at the Games.

In addition, demonstration events in robotics and virtual reality are also included as part of the esports programme in Hangzhou.