As Covid-19 brings athlete training and competitive sport to a jarring halt, e-sports has taken center stage as a source of entertainment for sports fans and athletes alike, yearning to quench their competitive thirst. The Special Olympics have now partnered with Microsoft and Xbox, to host a gaming tournament geared toward the athletic community.
We're excited to announce the 2020 Special Olympics @Xbox Virtual Gaming Event featuring @ForzaMotorsport, in partnership with @Microsoft!
More about the event, helping to keep our athletes connected during these times: https://t.co/TnHwpfi7aL #ChooseToInclude #XboxSOgaming pic.twitter.com/cYbnFiAKjn
— Special Olympics (@SpecialOlympics) May 21, 2020
Founded in 1968, the Special Olympics, is a global movement aiming to end discrimination against and empower individuals with intellectual disabilities, through the medium of sport. The organization delivers 32 Olympic-type sports and hosts 100,000 competitions and events through the year. A number of sporting organizations have made the switch to virtual competition to keep spectators enthralled during the global lockdown. Formula 1 for example, has taken to hosting weekly virtual races featuring current and former drivers, as well as eminent personalities from the sports and entertainment industry. The Special Olympics plan to join the virtual party, hosting a tournament featuring Microsoft’s and Turn 10 Studio’s Forza Motorsport 7.
We’re partnering with the Special Olympics to keep athletes connected and maintain the joy of sports, using the power of Xbox. https://t.co/MJnuaydlTi
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) May 23, 2020
The event, scheduled for the 30th of March 2020, will see over 35 athletes competing online, streamed on Twitch, YouTube, Xbox and Mixer. What’s more, the event’s award ceremony will be hosted on the immensely popular gaming platform, Minecraft.
