Minister for Culture of Denmark: Russian Athletes Shouldn't Compete in Copenhagen
The ongoing Major event in Copenhagen has ignited a debate in the Danish parliament, with several parties advocating for new regulations regarding visa issuance to Russians.
At the outset of the PGL Major Copenhagen, 23 Russian athletes were slated to compete, marking the first CS2 Major in history. However, just before the tournament's commencement, 9Pandas had to withdraw due to visa complications, reducing the Russian contingent to 18 players, making Russia the second-most represented country at the event. Nevertheless, several Danish elected officials are calling for a change.
"I fail to see the justification for requiring them to obtain a visa for participation in a Counter-Strike tournament," remarked Jan E. Jørgensen, a member of one of Denmark's ruling parties. "Therefore, I intend to amend the regulations to make it more challenging for Russians to partake in these events."
Potential Ramifications for BLAST Fall Tournament
The Danish Minister for Culture, Jakob Engel-Schmidt, has also addressed the issue in an interview with the Danish newspaper, Berlingske.
"As long as Russia persists in its illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, I do not believe Russian athletes should be permitted to partake in international sports. This naturally extends to e-sports," he asserted, while also criticizing Royal Arena for hosting a tournament featuring Russian representation.
"Even if the organizer is Romanian, I would advocate for the exclusion of Russian participation. Furthermore, I strongly urge Royal Arena to exercise greater scrutiny over the events it hosts," wrote Jakob Engel Schmidt.
Two of the Russian players at the event, Denis "electroNic" Sharipov and Ilya "Perfecto" Zalutskiy, are competing under a neutral flag, as per Liquipedia. While the likelihood of any immediate repercussions during the Major in Copenhagen is low, the BLAST Fall Finals tournament in September could be affected if any current regulations are altered.
The Minister for Immigration and Integration in Denmark issued a statement expressing his belief that Russian athletes should not be permitted to compete in international sports. However, he also noted that Denmark should adhere to current European regulations.
"It is crucial that we in the EU act collectively on these matters. We have already, in line with the pan-European stance, tightened visa regulations for Russian citizens in 2022," wrote Kaare Dybvad Bek to Berlingske.
