Bogotá D.C, September 5, 2024. GAT Esports Academy will be a landmark event in the esports scene in Colombia and Latin America. Organized by Gaming & Technology Expo, today's forum in Bogotá will bring together, from 9 am to 5 pm, Olympic sport authorities, academics, scientists, experts, leading journalists, and gaming communities to debate and share knowledge about the present and future of Esports and their recent inclusion as an Olympic sport discipline in Paris 2024. Thus, GAT Events continues to implement strategies for the promotion, integration, and development of the electronic sports ecosystem in the region, hosting top-level B2B and B2C events.

Participation of the Colombian Olympic Committee

The participation of the Colombian Olympic Committee (COC) at GAT Esports Academy marks a significant moment for Esports in the country. Ciro Solano Hurtado, President of the COC, will be present to give a special welcome during the event's opening, highlighting the organization's interest and support towards integrating electronic sports into the national and international sports arena.

Recognition of José Aníbal Aguirre by the Colombian House of Representatives

At the end of the opening session, a brief ceremonial event will be held at the request of the Board of Directors of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Republic. José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT, will receive the Simon Bolivar Order of Democracy medal from Representative Mauricio Parodi in celebration of his 25 years building a network of friends and allies in the legal gaming industry with the support of Asojuegos, Fecoljuegos, Cornazar, and Fedelco, fostering a climate of trust for investors and multinational exhibitors in Colombia and other Latin American countries.

Esports Law Bill

House Representative Mauricio Parodi will kick off the day with a presentation as co-author and promoter of the ongoing Esports Law Bill. This bill seeks to officially recognize electronic sports (Esports) as one of the forms in which sport is developed in Colombia, including them within the country's National Sports System.

Highlighted Panel: "Esports as an Olympic Sport"

One of the most anticipated sessions of the morning will be the panel titled "Esports as an Olympic Sport." This discussion will address the challenges, current situation, and regulatory advances surrounding the recognition of Esports as an Olympic discipline. Moderated by Jorge Karam, Vice-Rector of Research at the Corporación Universitaria de Cataluña and Academic Director of the event, the panel will feature prominent jurists and advisors such as Francisco Cañón from the Ministry of Sports, Daniela Cañizares and José Alejandro Sierra from Brigard Urrutia, Félix Burgos from the COC Presidency, and Jorge Franco, Treasurer of the Colombian Olympic Committee. The discussion will provide a comprehensive view of crucial issues that the ecosystem will need to define in the short and medium term.

Daniel Arias, Online Manager at BetPlay, will speak about betting and Esports in his conference. Following that, José Aníbal Aguirre, organizer of the event and representative of Mobadoo, a company developing cutting-edge software with artificial intelligence, will introduce the presentation and demo of the game "Battlefront" by his marketing team, which will soon debut on the BetPlay platform.

GAT Esports Academy has attracted a young and passionate audience from diverse gaming communities, who, representing their clubs and associations, will gather to share experiences and knowledge on topics such as Creative Leadership in Esports by Ernesto Lucena Barrero, former Minister of Sports, Advertising Agencies and Esports by Ángel Beccasino, Esports Statistics by Paulo Felipe Vivas, Esports in Higher Education, Success Stories in Marketing through Esports, The Esports Revolution: Education, Technology, and Society, Esports in France by Philippe Boland, and a closing panel on Esports and the Evolution of Sports Journalism, featuring renowned journalists in the local and regional arena.

Pragmatic Play, the undisputed leader in content for the iGaming industry, has joined GAT Esports Academy as a sponsor, further solidifying its presence in Colombia and fully supporting actions to develop local gaming communities, establishing strong relationships with regulated operators, and sponsoring key fairs and events in partnership with GAT Events, reaffirming its commitment to the Latin American market.

Additionally, on Friday, September 6, GAT Esports will continue with specialized tournaments of Counter-Strike and Valorant at the Sheraton Salitre Hotel.

Find the full academic agenda and purchase your ticket on the website www.gatesports.net.

For more information, visit the event's social media: @gat_Esports_ on Instagram, Twitter @GAT_Esports.

Contact: Lida María Roldán, Strategy and Communications Director GAT Events  

Email: [email protected], [email protected]