Last weekend, Maja Poljak, EU Funds and International Cooperation Coordinator at the Croatian Olympic Committee (COC), represented the organization at the Montenegro Future Festival and European Gaming Summit in Bar, Montenegro. She participated in a panel discussion titled “Esports in the Olympic Movement – The Road to Full Recognition.”
The panel featured notable guests including Maja Peković, Deputy Secretary General from the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, representatives of the European Esports Federation, and Vlad Marinescu, former President of the International Esports Federation (IESF). The conversation centered around the evolving role of esports in the Olympic landscape, especially in light of the highly anticipated first Olympic Esports Games scheduled for 2027.
Discussions addressed the current regulatory challenges within the esports ecosystem and the expectations toward the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to provide more guidance on integration pathways. The panelists emphasized the importance of ongoing dialogue and collaborative efforts between esports and traditional sports stakeholders.
There was strong consensus that esports represents a vital part of the future of sport, but regulatory alignment remains a challenge. With constructive dialogue and multi-sector cooperation, participants expressed optimism that an effective and respectful model of collaboration can be achieved—bringing esports and traditional sports closer under the shared values of the Olympic movement.
