Ewok's keynote speech at Olympic Esports Week Forum: How to deal with cyber-bullying
The popular Apex Legends and Fortnite streamer, who is Deaf and trans, spoke openly about his experience with cyber-bullying during the inaugural Olympic Esports Week Forum in Singapore.
With the explosion in online gaming, a disturbing trend has followed: a large increase in cyber-bullying. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14.9 per cent of adolescents have reported being cyber-bullied, and cyber-bullying affects almost 41 per cent of U.S. adults.
The topic is one that is close to Ewok's heart. Ewok, a popular Apex Legends and Fortnite player and streamer, has extensive experience with cyber-bullying, as he shared with the inaugural Olympic Esports Week Forum on Thursday (22 June). The 17-year-old was born into a completely Deaf family, and he also came out as trans a few years ago.
"My journey was very difficult entering this world of esports because there were not many Deaf players who were playing in big organisations. I was one of the first, and it was a big step – it was overwhelming for me initially.
"Coming out as a trans person was also a tough time for me, but I think these are some of my life experiences which have made me who I am today. Today's topic is pertinent to me coming from this background."
Ewok added: "It was really difficult for me because being a person with a disability and a person exploring my identity, and these are situations as a gamer, as a person, that lead to cyber-bullying."
Cyber-bullying, Ewok noted, often has intersections with other types of discrimination: ableism, racism and hate crimes.
"I think public authorities have a role to play in implementing policies and the law (to counter online hate)," he said in a separate panel discussion. "From an individual perspective, I think how do we protect ourselves? The means and ways we do so are also important. How do we consider ways for self-protection?
"In my experience, when I've experienced cyber-bullying, what was important to me was help from my friends and parental support. With my Deaf friends, we talk about our experiences because when I share with my Deaf peers, their perspective of things are more in line with how I experience things. With peer support, having this facility is also important with protecting ourselves."
How is the International Olympic Committee responding to cyber hate?
Kirsty Burrows, who is one of the people in charge of overseeing safeguarding and mental health at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a senior manager in its Safe Sport Unit, acknowledged that the issue is one that concerns the IOC.
"Cyber-enabled abuse is a real problem in sport and across society," she acknowledged. "One of the things we are looking at is how to address cyber-enabled abuse in sports."
To that end, the IOC is introducing a new system for the first time at this year's Olympic Esports Week: "(We are) working together with a service provider and using artificial intelligence to moderate any abuse towards the players during Esports Week," Burrows shared.
"Abuse in text, abuse in emojis, abuse in pictures is all picked up by the AI. It's a technology we're really pleased to roll out for the first time at Esports Week, and we're looking to roll out at other Olympic competitions as well.
"It really shows that when we work together, we can find solutions to this problem which exists all over the world in all sectors."
Diversity, equity and inclusion in esports
Another important topic covered by the Forum was the role of diversity, equity and inclusion in the esports field.
The Forum heard from a panel which included vice-president of the Global Esports Federation Tommy Sithole, the chief executive officer of G2 Esports Alban Dechelotte, and Stephanie 'Teca' Santos, the first female eFIFA Challenger Mode player.
A key issue raised was the gender imbalance in esports participation, with Dechelotte explaining what his organisation, one of the world's largest esports companies with teams in multiple gaming titles, was working to correct that.
"We don't have enough women participation. Everyone has to contribute. So we decided to created teams to give an opportunity to talented players who happen to be women to join G2," he said. Indeed, G2 Luna – one of the women's teams under the group's umbrella – is participating in the Olympic Esports Week in a Rocket League exhibition match.
"What we see is extraordinary. we see players accelerate their growth and become better at their game, this is untapped potential. Ultimately our goal is not to have women's teams, but to have teams that represent the whole organisation, to have G2 teams that represent both genders (in the same team) in a completely natural way."
Teca, meanwhile, shared her experiences of being a female FIFA player in her native Brazil.
"Most of the players are men. I heard comments that women shouldn't play football, and I should be in the kitchen. Comments like that are not good, and I had a lot to overcome. Astralis, my team, supported me a lot.
"In spite of this, I'm a winner, and I'm proud and I'm proud to represent female players. If I had a superpower, it would be to create an inclusive environment that would create conditions so that we could all play and have fun together, as equals."
Sithole, who is also the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee's honorary life president, spoke about the reach of esports in Africa. He said connectivity and communication across the vast continent remains a major hurdle.
"A lot of people in Africa are still using 3G, that's the first barrier when it comes to technology. Many people in sub-Saharan Africa are still on 3G, very few on 4G, and even fewer on 5G, so it can be a challenge (there).
"But if you look at the number of people that have been sponsored in South Africa and Kenya, they have the connectivity. So it's a question now of getting more people to play and inspiring others.
"I would like governments and authorities (in Africa) to accept esports the same way they have accepted traditional sports. It can change lives and contribute to sustainable development goals."
The increasing professionalism in esports: team psychologists now involved
The Forum also heard from Mia Stellberg, an esports coach and psychologist who has worked with both esports organisations and elite sporting teams, who shared how she broke down doors to get into the industry.
"I was a pioneer and I got a lot of questions from the industry, 'why do we need a shrink? what can you do for us?'," Stellberg remembered. "In the beginning, it was to create awareness in this field and helping the gamers.
"It is actually very similar when we are talking about performance and well-being: we are applying clinical psychology and sports psychology exactly as we are to traditional sport.
"But the difference here, I have learned, is gaming is far more stressful: we can all think how it would be to have five to six games a day, half an hour in between, and then go again."
However, she has seen movement in the industry.
"Quite often gamers end up retiring before they turn 30 and for me that's so much lost talent, lost skill… that decision is made due to burnout or lack of mental well-being, and that makes me really sad.
"These days, if an organisation wants to be professional, they do have performance teams. Doctors, psychologists, nutritionists, and an entire staff helping players."
Singapore as an esports hub and Olympic partner
Earlier, Singapore's Minister of State for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Alvin Tan, opened the Forum by drawing an analogy between the Olympic Esports Week and gaming in general.
"Think of Singapore as a platform to host games, like your gaming desktop, consoles, smartphones, Zwift bikes. Then think of the IOC as a game developer and think of the Olympic Esports Week as a game," the minister said.
"The IOC was looking for a platform to test this game, this content, and it decided to chose Singapore. In fact, it's the second time IOC is partnering Singapore to host an Olympic event: the first was in 2010 with the Youth Olympic Games.
"Since the first YOG in 2010, the event has developed into an elite sporting event for young athletes from all over the world. So the birthplace of the YOG was right here in Singapore, and the birthplace of the Olympic Esports Week is right here in Singapore."
Chris Tung, the Alibaba Group's president of corporate development, also spoke briefly about the TOP programme partner's role in the technology and development side of the Olympic Esports Week.
"Alibaba's mission is to support the IOC and help the Olympic Games to engage the young generation," he said. "I think the Olympic Esports Week is a very important first step. We're also helping support Singapore to build a grand slam of esports here in Singapore."
Other topics covered during the Forum included the gamification of traditional sports, Singapore as a hub for esports, the topic of anti-doping education in esports, player welfare including esports medicine, and how players can prepare for their post-professional gaming career.
At the end of the Forum, UCI president and Chairman of the IOC Esports Liaison Group, David Lappartient, gave an impassioned speech.
"The Olympic Movement has always been a catalyst for positive change and by embracing esports we have the opportunity to empower a new generation of athletes," he said.
"This Olympic Esports Week represents a fresh new start, a journey that goes beyond the frontiers of traditional sport. It symbolises our commitment to bridging the gap between traditional Olympic displines and the world of esports.
"By uniting the worlds of esports and traditional sport, we can shape a future where virtual and physical athletes can come together in true Olympic spirit."