University cybersport: potential and challenges for its inclusion in the cuban sports calendar
Keywords:
university e-Sports, sports inclusion, educational innovation, cognitive skills.Abstract
This study addresses the problem of the exclusion of cybersport (e-Sport) from the Cuban university sports calendar, despite its global rise and potential as a tool for educational innovation and the development of cognitive and social skills. The research aimed to analyze the potential and challenges for the formal inclusion of this discipline in the national university context. A descriptive methodology with a mixed approach was employed, applying surveys to 120 students in technological and social careers, interviews with 15 Physical Education professors, and documentary analysis. The results revealed a high penetration of recreational video gaming (85%) and a notable interest in organized competition (79%), but contrasted with a widespread lack of knowledge about e-Sport as a sport (68%) and the existence of critical barriers: technological, normative, and related to teacher training. It is concluded that the inclusion of e-Sport is viable and necessary, requiring a systemic strategy that prioritizes its normative legitimization, infrastructure development, human capital training, and sustainable inter-institutional articulation. This integration represents a strategic opportunity to modernize the university sports offering and align it with the interests and digital competencies of new generations.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Mauro Aristides Kindelán Boloy, Jonathan González Pieras, Addiel Alejandro Carrazana García
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