[Event Report] Virtual Sports Forum Plus Held in Lausanne

On March 17, 2026, the Japan Sport Council (JSC) and World Rowing co-hosted the "Virtual Sports Forum Plus" at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. The forum brought together over 140 representatives from more than 45 organizations, including international governing bodies, international sports federations, leaders in high-performance sports, government agencies, industry, academia, and the technology sector. Participants shared the current status of the rapidly evolving virtual sports and esports landscape and engaged in active discussions on co-creating new horizons in sports.

In November 2023, the High Performance Sport Center (HSPC), established by the JSC, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with World Rowing to promote international joint research on virtual sports. Since fiscal year 2024, the JSC has hosted the "Virtual Sports Forum," collaborating with World Rowing to engage in ongoing discussions with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), international sports federations, and esports-related organizations regarding international trends and future prospects.

This year's event in Lausanne demonstrated a clear shift in the international sports community from the exploratory phase to the implementation phase of virtual sports initiatives. While expectations for IOC-led initiatives are rising, various issues surrounding the "Olympic Esports Games" have also come to light, making the deepening of international dialogue and the clarification of future directions increasingly important.

The opening remarks emphasized the unique characteristics of Lausanne as the Olympic Capital and its role as a hub for disseminating information that drives global sports development. Following a welcome by Sébastien Griesmar, Director of the Lausanne Olympic Capital Foundation, World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland expressed his gratitude for the collaboration with the JSC under the concept of "From High Performance to Life Performance." He further noted that the forum is evolving into an international nexus connecting sports and innovation, and that virtual sports...