International e-Sports Federation and World Cyber Arena, hold 2016 Global e-Sports Executive Summit

The International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) and World Cyber Arena (WCA) will host the 2016 Global e-Sports Executive Summit, in Shanghai, China, from July 30th to July 31st, during Chinajoy 2016, the largest digital entertainment expo and conference in China.

The Key purpose of the Summit is to share ideas between key stakeholders in different e-sports industries, to align understandings and ensure e-sport develops in the right direction and manner. Moreover, the summit involves the participation of International Sports Society members to openly discuss the potentials of e-sports and its synergies which can be produced together with traditional sports.

The Summit will be gathering of the IeSF and its National Federation members (of which  MSSA is one), key roles within e-sport companies and media, major electronic companies, e-sports athletes, and also with the involvement international sports society and discuss status and direction of e-sports.

Unlike other e-Sports gatherings, the Summit plans to openly discuss topics which are generally not dealt with. The road to an official sports, good causes, universal value, and social responsibility in e-sports, global e-sports academy and athlete welfare, and clean e-sports environment, are some of the key agendas to be in discussed during the Summit. Various Sports officials will also be part of the discussion to give insights of explanations on how it has been done in traditional sports.

IeSF expects the Global e-Sports Executive Summit to be of great relevance and opportunity for all organizations involved in e-Sports to gather, share, and exchange thoughts in order to reach a consensus for the development of e-Sports.

“We hope that the different stake holders of e-Sports will be able to share the same vision by the end of the Global e-Sports Executive Summit, for future e-Sports development” said Mr Alex Lim, Secretary General of IeSF. “We also look forward to the participation of International Sports Society members, to enlighten the possibilities and potentials of e-Sports. Hopefully different sessions of the Summit will support the e-Sports recognition of SportAccord and IOC. IeSF Plans to hold the Summit on an annual basis to constantly communicate with various stakeholders and also lead e-Sports under a consensus based direction.”

The IeSF's Referee course is under way!

Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) candidate (Thomas Brown) to the IeSF's International Referee Conference in Yinchuan landed safely on 12 May 2 016.

Thomas takes his place among referees hand-picked by members of the IeSF from Argentina, Brazil, China, Indonesia, South  Korea, the Netherlands, and the Phillipines.

This referee course is sponsored by the World Cyber Arena and is  designed to improve refereeing on an international level, as well as create a cadre of international referees that may be used world-wide.

The referees under going such training  are:

Jose Latronico, Argentina
Kathleen Rossi Cossi, Brazil
Lingfei Gong, China
Yifan Zhang, China
Stanley Tjia, Indonesia
Sungwon Lee, South Korea
Namki Kim, South Korea
Jeroen Den Hartog, Netherlands
James Chua, Philippines
Thomas Brown, South Africa

IeSF announced the establishment of International e-Sports Academy with $2M investment

Mr. Xuefeng Xu, General Manager of Yinchuan International Game Investment Co. Ltd (left) is shaking hands with Mr. Alex Lim, Secretary General of IeSF (right)

International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) and Yinchuan International Game Investment Co. Ltd held press conference regarding the establishment of International e-Sports Academy in Beijing JW Marriot Hotel, China on 10^th of March 2016. Both entities have signed an agreement to establish International e-Sports Academy on 8^th of March, 2016.

The status of e-sports is rising day by day and e-Sports market is also growing rapidly, however, the infrastructure of e-sports, especially on training system for professional human resources, is not systematically organized yet. Moreover, the young talents who want to access the e-sports scene go through difficulties to find the right direction. For this reason, IeSF have met various global e-sports partners and prepared to develop and operate the e-Sports training program which e-Sports workers, players, and various e-Sports organizations and companies can benefit from.

Yinchuan International Game Investment Co.Ltd had same point of view on establishing International e-Sport Academy and showed active intention to participate on this project early this year. As they have promised to invest $ 2 million United States Dollar on International e-Sports Academy for 5 years starting from 2016, IeSF can now build infrastructure to train professional e-Sports human resources who could lead the e-sports society.

In 2016, the first year of International e-Sports Academy, IeSF and Yinchuan International Game Investment Co.Ltd plan to develop online and offline training program to train referee and broadcasting human resources by priority, and extend the range of program to train coach and marketer in the following year. Also, IeSF is looking forward to develop e-sports master course where graduates will have opportunity to do internship program at e-sports organization, game developer, and broadcasting company.

Furthermore, IeSF will gain a foothold that e-sports talents can access not only e-sports industry but also other sports industry. With this, IeSF expects e-Sports talents to reach various international sports federations and sports industry which will naturally expand the continuous exchange in both industries. IeSF, by narrowing the gap between e-sports and traditional sports, plans e-Sports to grow as traditional sports in near future.

Mr. Byunghun Jun, the President of IeSF said “e-sports is a fledgling industry. To let e-Sports grow as traditional sports, the foundation of training professional e-Sports human resources should be settled. IeSF, the international sports federation pursuing e-sports to be recognized as the traditional sports, will keep concentrate on the business which IeSF can only do, and cooperate with all e-sports partners which are league organizer, broadcasting company, game developer, each national federation, international sports federation.”

Mr. Alex Lim, the Secretary General of IeSF said “IeSF has finally earned the opportunity to act as an international federation after the establishment of IeSF. IeSF will expand more business starting with International e-Sports Academy. Moreover, IeSF will especially support national federations to build e-Sports infrastructure in each country.”

▶ About IeSF

The International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) is an International Governing Body for e-Sports, established in 2008. Currently IeSF consists of 43 National Federations, who are approved by governments in their countries. As e-Sports has been regarding as one of potential Sport disciplines, many of National Sport Authorities such as Ministry of Sport and National Olympic Committees have been recognize such National e-Sports Federations, as official Sport Governing Body.

Since 2009, IeSF has been hosting e-Sports World Championship every year. More than 400 people from all of IeSF National Federations and more countries participate in the event, as National Athletes approved by their government. All broadcasting contents are delivered to all around the world through online streaming platforms, with more than 2 million viewerships.

IeSF also cooperates with various International Sport Bodies. IeSF manages and operates e-Sports event in Multi Sports Events in the world. Also IeSF has been approved as one of the official signatories of World Anti-Doping Agency in 2013. After approval, IeSF has been conducted doping test for every event, like other sports with IeSF’s own Anti-Doping code. In 2014, IeSF was approved as an International member of TAFISA (The association For International Sport for All), and will manage e-Sports program in 2016 TAFISA World Sport for All Games.

With rapid growth of e-Sports, IeSF is aiming for being affiliated in SportAccord. Regarding perceptions toward e-Sports from National Sport Authorities, it is expected that e-Sports can be admitted as one of official sport discipline in near future, with the recognition of IeSF by SportAccord.