Based on a press release from the Russian Esports Federation (RESF), the federation decided not to participate in IESF tournaments after they were forced out by decisions that they were allowed to participate without nationality, which goes against their wishes.
The reason for this was a report by Richard Lewis that RESF had been sanctioned by the IESF. In January, the Ukrainian E-Sports Federation (UESF) made accusations against the RESF for opening offices in illegally occupied Ukrainian territories, which resulted in the suspension of the RESF. The IESF General Secretariat conducted an internal investigation and lifted the suspension, but banned the use of Russian national symbols at future competitions.
The RESF press release protested against the sanctions imposed by IESF and did not dispute that they have offices in internationally recognized Ukrainian territories.
In August 2023 UESF decided to boycott all IESF championships until they change their decision in favor of Russian players. Based on the IESF's decision to allow players but with a neutral flag with no nationality, the UESF decision will remain in effect until the RESF is definitively excluded from the IESF.
Here is what UESF Executive Director Anton Markelov said about this:
We're shocked. Everything should have been different. We made speeches, we negotiated with almost every country about our position, everyone expressed support, but it turned out to be only in words.
We put up our candidate to the IESF board (management), but after this situation we decided to withdraw it, because we do not want to be involved in the management of this "debilism". We will block all IESF championships until they change their decision.UESF Executive Director Anton Markelov
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RESF's decision to open an office in Ukraine contradicts Article E-31 (i) of the IESF Constitution, which obliges all federations to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of other members. RESF's protest against the IESF Secretariat's sanctions focuses on the fact that the IESF General Assembly previously voted to decline the sanctions against RESF in August 2023.
This argument neglects the subsequent allegations made by UESF against RESF and appears to form part of RESF's longer process to return to IESF competition. RESF previously had to compete under a neutral flag in 2022 and miss the IESF 2023 in Iasi, Romania, due to measures taken by the host country prohibiting Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
RESF's withdrawal from IESF 2024 comes at a time when Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will host the South Korean organizer's sixth national tournament with the largest prize pool to date.
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