Saudi Prince Faisal has proposed canceling the upcoming IESF World Esports Championship 2024 (IESF WEC), sparking a strong reaction at the International Esports Federation (IESF) council meeting. How could this end for the esports world?
On September 10, an important meeting was held where Prince Faisal, the president of the IESF and an influential figure in esports, made a surprise proposal to cancel a tournament that was supposed to be held in Saudi Arabia. This caused considerable tension among the council members.
The historical background is conflict of interest and unexpected proposals
According to a report by James Fudge of The Esports Advocate (TEA), the meeting was held in an atmosphere of confusion and the Prince's proposal to unexpectedly cancel the 2024 Esports World Championship was met with disapproval. Prince Faisal, who holds positions in several influential esports organizations, sought to discuss the cancellation of the tournament despite it being scheduled to take place in just two months.
Despite the chaos that ensued, the proposal was defeated in a vote by IESF board members. The Saudi prince, who is also the vice president of the Global Esports Federation, made hints about the possibility of canceling another major event, the Global Esports Games in China, if his proposal was not supported. However, this did not affect the council's decision and the IESF WEC 2024 tournament will take place as planned from November 11 in Riyadh. It will feature 24 teams, including the Ukrainian team kONO.ECF, which will play in the CS2 competition.
Implications for the world of esports
The decision to continue the tournament has important implications for the international esports community, especially given Saudi Arabia's influence in hosting such events. Questions about the future of esports championships and their political and economic aspects remain open, but for now, IESF WEC 2024 will continue despite internal conflicts at the highest level.
Source: The Esports Advocate
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