Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA) – Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amalis expects IESF’s 14th World Esports Championship in Bali to be an event to help in preparing Indonesia for the 2023 SEA Games and Asian Games.
Esports became one of the sports in which gold medals are expected to be clinched during the Cambodia SEA Games scheduled in May 2023, he noted after opening the world esports championship in Merusaka, here, Friday.
This is since according to the team’s calculation review, Indonesia is estimated to lose 37 gold medals during the Cambodia SEA Games, as several sports branches are not featured in the event, he pointed out.
Moreover, Indonesia became the general champion for several of these sports branches in the past. Thus, Indonesia requires contribution from other sports branches, including esports, to fill the gap, he remarked.
“Thus, we certainly have to work hard. (Those in) the sports branches have to work hard,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, speaking in connection with the possibility of esports entering the primary sports branch within the Grand Design of National Sports (DBON), Amali noted that his ministry has a review team in place for promotion and degradation.
If certain sports branches perform well, they will be promoted. If they do not perform well, they will be kicked out of the category. The process is very dynamic, he explained.
The world esports championship also became an event to promote Indonesia to the world. Beyond that, athletes can also get experience of a world-class competition, the minister remarked.
“This is because it is very different from competing at the national or regional level. It is very different,” he remarked.
“Hence, I expect that this can be utilized by the PB ESI (Indonesian Esports’ Executive Board) to prepare itself,” he added.
Source: Antara News