The Philippines Accepts eSports Players As Professional Athletes

The Philippines have officially recognized Esports as official, and real sports. In the year 2016, there were two major Dota 2 tournaments hosted in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The exact same Visas currently being used by professional athletes can now be applied for by the Filipino players. Due to numerous issues with Visa, the Worlds 2015 was almost missed by LoL jungler Xmithie from the Philippines.

eSports Players As Professional Athletes

There has been a controversy as to how to label the players of Esports for a long time. The Filipino players are finally able to say they are professional athletes, and begin using the official tag. The Philippines has finally made the official decision to recognize the sport of Esports. This means that the Visas long since available to all the other athletes have become available to these particular players. According to the Philippines, these players have finally achieved the status of professional athletes, and are now able to obtain their Visas.

In the Worlds 2015, Jake Xmithie Puchero a major player in the League of Legends, came too close to missing the event because of a Visa issue. Many competitors are now sharing the relief as this problem has finally found a solution in the Philippines. Many of the stars in Esports including both LoL jungler Xmithie, and Jake Xmithie Puchero are breathing easier knowing they are now considered professional sports stars, and can easily apply for their Visas.

According to the announcement made by Attorney Ermar Benitez, the chief legal counsel for the GAB, or the Gaming and Amusements Board, licenses have been awarded since July of this year. He said although numerous Esports players have already received their licenses, the news has only recently been made available to the public. The media has picked up on the news regarding Esports players in the Philippines being considered professional athletes from there.

Despite this news, not just anyone is able to apply. The player must first be vouched for by a professional Esports team. In addition, a small fee is required to be paid by the player. Ermar Benitez has chosen to remain grounded regarding these changes. He stated there are only a handful available to the big leagues out of millions of enthusiasts. When the players of Esports are considered on a per capita basis, a lot less players are able to make it big when compared to athletes competing in all the other sports. This means most individuals consider Esports more a form of entertainment than an actual sport.

Numerous individuals have already received their Visas, including Dota 2 players, Heroes of the Storm, and Lol. There are multiple HOTS players who will be in the competition of the Heroes of the Storm Global Championship. The Philippines biggest Esports has remained the Dota 2. In Manilla, the capital of the nation, there were two major tournaments hosted last year. These were the Manila Major, and the ESL One Manila. The Philippines is encouraged by the developments in the global industry of Esports. Since the Esports tournaments will be a part of the Asia Games in 2022, it is very important they manage to keep their upward trend moving forward.

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