Believe me. Gran Turismo will be the official sport of the Olympic Committee this year

If as a child, during an afternoon of intense study — code name for an epic video game journey — playing Gran Turismo , if you were told that this game was still going to be an Olympic event, you probably didn't believe it. But that is precisely what will happen this year.

No, this does not mean that we will see Gran Turismo races between a javelin throw and a 110m hurdle race. It is an event of its own, called the Olympic Virtual Series, which will be played under the responsibility of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The Olympic Virtual Series (OVS), now announced, will be the first Olympic-licensed event in eSports history, and Gran Turismo was the title chosen to represent the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

We are honored that Gran Turismo has been chosen as one of the publishers of the Olympic Virtual Series. This is a historic day not only for us at Gran Turismo but also for motorsports. I am very excited to see that countless Gran Turismo players around the world will be able to share the Olympic Virtual Series experience.

Kazunori Yamauchi, Gran Turismo Series Producer and President of Polyphony Digital

It is not yet known how the competition will be organised, how who will participate or what prizes will be offered, but the International Olympic Committee promises to release new details shortly.

I am delighted to see the FIA ​​join forces with the IOC for this innovative and highly prestigious competition, and I would also like to thank Thomas Bach for trusting us. We share the same values ​​and are proud of the diversity and inclusion offered by digital motorsport, which promotes mass participation by removing most traditional barriers to entry.

Jean Todt, President of the FIA

The inaugural edition will take place between May 13th and June 23rd, ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games, which are scheduled to start on July 23rd.

Among the sports present are baseball (eBaseball Powerful Pro 2020), cycling (Zwift), sailing (Virtual Regatta), motor sports (Gran Turismo) and rowing (the game has yet to be confirmed).

In the future, other sports may be added to this virtual Olympic series. According to the IOC, FIFA, the International Basketball Federation, the International Tennis Federation and the World Taekwondo have already “confirmed their enthusiasm and their commitment to exploring inclusion in future editions of the OVS”.