Vlad Marinescu, the recently elected IESF President, told insidethegames that the two organisations had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today to promote a healthy balance between gaming and physical activity among pupils around the world.

"We have just signed an MoU with the ISF," Marinescu said, adding that at the heart of the collaboration was a new IESF initiative entitled Run to Play.

"The idea behind the programme is that the people who are in high schools, middle schools, various schools, can participate in esports activity.

"So we want to have esports trucks going from school to school, and the children are able to participate in the esports gaming activities after they run one kilometre.

"Whoever runs fastest plays first.

"I truly believe that if the children are motivated to achieve the happiness and to be able to play an esport, they are required in a compulsory way to do a certain physical activity as well, then we are going to generate a lot of health around the world.

"We are going to have healthier kids that have the best of both worlds."

The ISF, founded in 1972, now has 113 members in five continents and regularly hosts School Summer Games, known as the Gymnasiade, which involve 12-18 sports and more than 3000 pupils.

The Federation, whose President Is Laurent Petrynka, has been recognised by the International Olympic Committee since 1995.

ISF limits itself to activities with school children between the ages of 13 to 18.

Marinescu added: "We are going to work together with the ISF in order to influence a positive change to motivate children in high schools around the world – as well as at the Gymnasiade – to do esports responsibly."

Formed in 2008 and with its head office in South Korea, the IESF has more than 60 members worldwide.

On March 31 the federation signed an MoU with the Asian Electronic Sports Federation, which had announced that esports will feature as an official medal event at the 2021 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.

On May 16, IESF signed an MoU with the World Esports Consortium (WESCO) with the goal of promoting unity within the esports ecosystem.