The Olympic Games has recently introduced an Esports section, a global virtual and simulated sports competition that will be live-streamed across the globe. There are a wide array of different games, but all of them have a twist: they are played on a smartphone through a public app available in most app stores. This means that physical sports like archery, dance and taekwondo will be played online. What makes this even more interesting is that the entry for qualification is available for all people, regardless of athletic prowess or skills.

For some students, the idea of the Olympics featuring online sports seems like a bad decision. For junior Pooja Nadiger in particular, it delegitimizes competitors who have dedicated their lives to their craft.

“I feel like it takes away from the whole point of the Olympics,” Nadiger said. “What about all those people who spend their whole lives devoted to a sport? Putting online competitors on the same level as them seems illogical.”

Junior Hardik Jain agrees, believing that, while competitive esports and physical sports are both difficult fields, the Olympics version of esports is a watered-down version of normal sports.

“They took regular sports and slapped it on a TV,” Jain said. “For something like archery, what is the point in having an online archery app tournament when you have the real thing right there? It does not make any sense to me.”

For others, the idea of the Olympics opening its doors to everyone regardless of athletic ability represents a positive change, showing that competitiveness and drive does not need to be restricted to purely physical sports.

“It allows people from everywhere to get to try their hand at a sport, even if it is online,” junior Ayush Jain said. “Having it be a super competitive showcase of skill is not the point. It is more like a fun sideshow.”