POC told: NESFP deserves recognition as NSA for esports

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THE National Electronic Sports Federation of the Philippines yesterday urged the Philippine Olympic Committee to reconsider its recognition of the Philippine eSports Organization as the national sports association in the country.

NESFP president Ramon “Tats” Suzara pointed out that the International Olympic Committee has not yet given any recognition to any international federation as the global body for e-sports so the POC should not have given its blessing on the PESO in its last virtual general assembly meeting on Aug. 29.

Golf secretary general Bones Floro, head of the POC membership committee, endorsed the PESO since it is affiliated with the International Esports Federation (IESF), which claims it is recognized by the IOC.

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Suzara said the IESF is neither recognized by the IOC nor is it on the list of the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF).

“This clearly does not comply with the captioned requirement under POC Membership Rules,” he said in a statement.

“On behalf of the NESFP, I urgently seek a reconsideration of your decision to accredit the Philippine eSports Organization as an associate member NSA for electronic sports instead of NESFP,” added.

Suzara, the executive director of the 30th Philippine Southeast Asian Games, made his case for his organization’s recognition, saying he had submitted a “meticulously detailed letter” last Sept. 2 regarding the IOC recognition.

He added the NESFP should not be overlooked “for having organized and managed the competition and selected and trained gold medal-winning athletes in the 30th Southeast Asian Games where e-sports was played as a medal sport for the first time.”

Suzara said the NESFP enjoys the sanction of the Global Esports Federation (GEF) and its continental confederation and the Singapore-based the Asian Esports Federation (AESF).

He stressed it is also the Olympic Council of Asia’s partner, having received the authority to manage e-sports as a demonstration sport in the 2018 Indonesia Asian Games.

Suzara requested the POC to revisit the hierarchy of recognition when an IOC-affiliated IF is non-existent.

“The contention is now between one NSA recognized by an IF candidate (PESO), and one NSA recognized by the AF (Asian federation), by the OCA, and by another IF candidate (NESFP),” Suzara said.

Suzara noted that his formal letters to the POC regarding the issue were not answered.

“Despite several attempts and methods to communicate with the POC, the NESFP has been unable to receive any action,” Suzara said. “The initial letters and/or emails were transmitted weeks before the pandemic struck, and therefore, would have merited any form of reply from the POC Membership Committee or the POC Secretariat.”

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