"VAN" (Sports Desk - 19.03.2026) :: World Rowing and the Japan Sport Council today co-hosted the 3rd Virtual Sports Forum Plus at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, gathering leaders from across the Olympic movement, international federations, and the esports and gaming industries to explore how virtual sport is reshaping the future of sporting engagement worldwide.
The forum was also held with the support of Think Sport as the innovation partner, and the Lausanne Olympic Capital Foundation as the main contributor.
Held on 17 March 2026, the full-day forum brought together representatives from more than 45 organisations and more than 140 representatives, including the IOC, UCI, World Rowing, FIBA, World Triathlon, World Taekwondo, and leading technology partners within the All Japan delegation such as Fujitsu and Konami, to examine the intersection of digital innovation, high performance sport, and community impact.
"Since its launch in 2024, the Virtual Sports Forum has become a platform for dialogue across sport, technology, and innovation. But our purpose today is not simply to observe change; it is to help shape it. Virtual sports are evolving rapidly. They create new opportunities for accessibility, participation, engagement, education, and performance. They also raise important questions about governance, credibility, inclusion, athlete pathways, technology, and social impact. These are precisely the questions that require serious collaboration across sectors and across borders. This is why today matters." Jean-Christophe Rolland, World Rowing President & IOC Member
"We are pleased to have held the Virtual Sports Forum for a second year and, in this fifth year since the Tokyo 2020 Games, to have advanced it with the Forum Plus here in Lausanne. Bringing global sporting leaders together reaffirmed the strong potential of virtual sport and deepened our shared insight. Our aim now is to build this momentum into a truly international alliance, applying high performance expertise to broader life performance fields to help address global challenges. Together with World Rowing, we look forward to strengthening our international strategic partnership." ASHIDATE Satoshi, Japan Sport Council President & CEO.
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