From horse riding to weight lifting and soccer to sailing, what is defined as 91裸聊视频渟ports91裸聊视频� includes a broad variety of activities. But whether professional video gaming falls under that wide umbrella remains up for debate.

Esports has ballooned in popularity in recent years, drawing fans and professional video game players from around the globe.

This weekend, thousands of people are expected to attend the International Dota 2 Championships in Vancouver, while millions more stream the event online.

Anyone tuning in will see similarities with traditional sporting events, from a stadium packed with cheering fans to well-dressed analysts in headsets offering commentary between matches.

Some of that structure has been borrowed from other sports, said Erik Johnson of Valve, the company that created the 91裸聊视频淒ota 291裸聊视频� game and runs the tournament.

But there91裸聊视频檚 a difference when it comes to competition.

High-level gamers are being tested on how they handle the pressure of being watched by millions of people as they compete for enormous amounts of money, Johnson said.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not a physical test, it91裸聊视频檚 a mental test for a lot of these players,91裸聊视频� he said.

Victor Goossens is the co-CEO of Team Liquid, which won the 91裸聊视频淒ota 291裸聊视频� championship last year. He said his players spend up to 12 hours a day practising and studying their game, and take care of their physical and mental health in the same way a traditional athlete does.

Like any pro team, Goossens91裸聊视频� group is always looking for a competitive advantage, so earlier this year they teamed up with technology company SAP to develop software that would allow them to analyze their training and in-game performances.

SAP91裸聊视频檚 Milan Cerny worked with competitors in sailing and tennis before turning to the esports project. Gamers and traditional athletes have a lot in common, he said, including that both are 91裸聊视频渞eally, really good at what they91裸聊视频檙e doing.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭hey have a lot of knowledge about the discipline that they91裸聊视频檙e good at,91裸聊视频� he said.

Anyone who thinks gamers aren91裸聊视频檛 athletes is misunderstood, said Dan Cybak, CEO of the Gaming Stadium, a group that91裸聊视频檚 looking to build esports facilities across Canada.

Players spend countless hours honing their eye sight, learning to control their heart rate and perfecting their skills, and they follow strict eating, sleeping and training regimes, just like traditional athletes, he said.

91裸聊视频淭hey have to be on top of their game, they have to choose the right champions,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭heir skill set and where their mind is at a level that a lot of us can91裸聊视频檛 play at.91裸聊视频�

Cybak believes esports will make it into the Olympics in about a decade, and when they do they91裸聊视频檒l become mainstream.

Justin Simpao with the University of British Columbia91裸聊视频檚 esports association doesn91裸聊视频檛 see professional video gaming as falling under the same category as hockey or basketball.

91裸聊视频淓sports is not a real sport, but it is still a competition,91裸聊视频� he said, adding that both traditional sports and gaming all come down to competitive entertainment.

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press

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