eSports athletes could be battling it out for an Olympic gold medal as early as 2024 after the Chairman of the LA 2024 delegation announced plans to try and make it happen should LA be successful in their bid.

3.6 billion people soaked up at least a minute of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio (over half of the population). For a niche sport, this is an incredible opportunity to reach a global audience and eSports could be the next to take advantage of that window if the United States Olympic Committee have their way.

LA is one of three cities shortlisted to host the 2024 games. If selected, they would join London as the only city to host the Olympics on three occasions, and their delegation aims to take advantage of recent Olympic rule changes that allow the selection of new sports on a per event basis.

For the longest time, the only way a new sport could receive recognition as an Olympic event was for the International Federations of each sport to lobby the International Olympics Committee (IOC). In 2014, the rules changed allowing local organising committees to push sports within their country, and LA aims to do that with eSports.