The Sports Fraternity Reacts to India’s Recognition of E-sports as a Multisport Event

Mr. Suji, Vice President of the AESF (Asian E-sports Federation), Reacts

Mr. Lokesh Suji, who is the current director of the E-sports Federation of India and the vice president of the Asian E-sports Federation (AESF), said that these were good news to start with in the year 2023. He added that the federation worked to establish differences between iGaming and e-sports, and their efforts bore fruit.

Suji said that the decision by the government of India was welcome, as it would create new avenues to bring investment into the lucrative industry. He also stated that the federation was working on improving training facilities and infrastructure, as well as coaching for young and upcoming e-sports athletes. In his final remark, Suji added that in the near future, the game will be added to such leagues as football, cricket and basketball, matching their scale, fan base, and craze.

Mr. Animesh Agarwal, the Founder and CEO of 8bit Creatives

Mr. Animesh Agarwal, who runs 8bit Creatives and is a former e-sports athlete, said that the gaming fraternity in the country welcomed the news of the classification of the sport. He added that it was the result of years of the gaming community’s collective efforts. Agarwal noted that the game had already achieved medal status at the Asian Games and Olympics. Therefore, its recognition by the government was overdue. The recognition showed that e-sports is a serious sport that would put India on the map of professional gamers.