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James Banks smiling to the camera on PGL Stockholm CS:GO Major stage.
Photo by PGL
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James Banks slams Ukraine federation for withdrawing national teams from IESF 2023

The country should be able to show its strength at the event, the host believes.
Image of Mateusz Miter
Mateusz Miter
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Published: Aug 31, 2023 04:08 am

James Banks has criticized the Ukraine Esports Federation (UESF) for withdrawing its teams from the IESF World Championship 2023 following a vote to allow Russian players to compete under the country’s name and flag.

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UESF teams officially withdrew on Aug. 30, and on that same day, event host Banks revealed he disagrees with the move in an interview with Players. The renowned host and esports personality believes Ukrainian players should be able to show their strength by competing at the IESF World Championship 2023.

“They had a great chance to win and show the strength of Ukrainian players on the world stage. Boycotting now gives less visibility to Ukraine than letting them compete and boycotting after. This decision makes no sense,” Banks said.

Related: ALGS fans allegedly forced to hide Ukraine flag at Split One Playoffs

He also had some direct words for UESF itself: “Showing the dedication, skill, and commitment of Ukrainian people during the war is inspiring and motivating for the people of Ukraine. Don’t take that away, don’t kill hope, don’t kill success.”

Russia was reinstated following a vote among competing nations on Aug. 28, where 32 votes were in favor of their reinstation, 13 against, and 25 abstained, according to a translation of the Russian Federation’s statement. It reads: “Sport should unite, and any form of discrimination against athletes based on nationality and any other grounds is unacceptable.”

Related: 2 CS:GO teams reportedly face undetermined suspension after breaking Ukraine wartime travel policy

Afterward, numerous Ukrainian representatives ended their participation at IESF 2023 on Aug. 30. They stated that they refused to compete further at the tournament due to a “disgraceful decision by IESF regarding the re-entry of members from a terrorist country.”

Having Russian athletes compete under a neutral flag is not surprising nowadays after the country invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Many sports federations have either allowed the country’s athletes to participate under a neutral flag or banned them from doing so at all. For example, Russian soccer teams have been forbidden from competing in the UEFA Champions League ever since the invasion.

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Author
Image of Mateusz Miter
Mateusz Miter
Freelance Writer at Dot Esports. Mateusz previously worked for numerous outlets and gaming-adjacent companies, including ESL. League of Legends or CS:GO? He loves them both. In fact, he wonders which game he loves more every day. He wanted to go pro years ago, but somewhere along the way decided journalism was the more sensible option—and he was right.
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