The Ukrainian Cybersport Federation (UESF) has reacted to the lifting of the ban on Russian players to use their country's symbols at the events of the International Cybersport Federation (IESF). The Ukrainian side will challenge the lifting of restrictions on Russian representatives in court and will boycott future tournaments from the IESF.

The UESF said in an official statement that the actions of the international federation are suspected of a corruption component and vote buying at a closed session against the backdrop of the already tarnished reputation of the IESF due to corruption scandals.

We're shocked. Everything should be 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 "dibilism". We will block all IESF championships until they change their decision. Our national teams that are currently competing in the Romanian championships will be encouraged to do so as well, but we cannot force them to do so. They will make the decision at their own discretion.
We will also be making an international lawsuit to have this decision reviewed and overturned, and to have the voting information officially publicized. It is important for the whole world to see how each country voted.

Anton Markelov, Executive Director of UESF in a comment for the Telegram channel "Katsapske Inferno"

READ MORE: Another disappointment from IESF: the organization allowed Russians to use their country's flag and anthem

Community reaction

Ukrainian analyst Oleksandr "Petr1k" Petrik hopes that such a precedent will be the impetus to terminate the existence of the IESF.

My analysis: the majority of members of this federation stupidly sold out to Russaks and nobody even knows which countries did it, because the results of voting do not know even the representatives of Ukraine in this federation, this vote was CLOSED and nobody is obliged to make its results public.
In short, to hell can go this international federation of cybersport, I hope our representatives will launch adequate countries to get out of this circus and this already pathetic organization, created to steal money, will disintegrate to hell.

Olexandr Petryk

Commentator Oleksandr"Enkanis" Polischuk believes that conclusions about the federation could have been drawn as early as the opening ceremony of the CS:GO tournament with its DJ.

Ничтожные. Хотя что можно ожидать от людей, которые пригласили выступать диджея "ви джаст вонт плей геймс энд нот спик ебаут вор энд политикс".

Oleksandr“Enkanis” Polischuk

Recall that in the past, Russians at IESF tournaments could only compete in a neutral status - this decision was made on April 18, 2022 after the beginning of Russia's armed aggression in Ukraine. Also then the Russian Federation was deprived of membership in the organization, and here everything remains unchanged.