October 20, 2021

That's Not the Team Spirit


That's Not the Team Spirit

“Because of e-sports, we are losing future great athletes who could become Olympic champions. It is a pity, but it is their right to choose. If they see themselves in e-sports, no one can force them to do something else. In the end, e-sports are better than hype blogging. It at least falls under sports, albeit without physical activity. You can talk as much as you like, good or bad. Nothing will change anyway. We will not close the country and return to the USSR regime with strict restrictions. This way, everyone will just rant and rave for a little while and then will again put a gadget in the hands of a child. It is the truth of life.”

– State Duma Deputy and Olympic Champion Svetlana Zhurova

On October 17, Zhurova commented on the recent victory of the members of Team Spirit, a Russian group who took home $18.2 million USD (over 1.2 billion rubles) for winning first place in The International 10. The world champion e-sports tournament pits players against each other in Dota (Defense of the Ancients) 2, an online multiplayer video game where two teams of five must defend bases against the attacks of the opposing competitors.

“Of course, the guys really worked hard, strove,” Zhurova said. “They won and deservedly received their prize money. Well done. But I don't want it to become widespread, because the victory of Team Spirit will now be a super big advertisement for children. Now absolutely everyone will have this wish. The guys will begin to understand: ‘If I sit and do e-sports, I will achieve the same success and get a huge amount of money.’ And we will not stop this process.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin got wind of the victory, too, and seemed more pleased than Zhurova when he congratulated the team for taking the title, a first for the Russian Federation. “We have proven in practice that our cyber sportsmen are always goal-oriented and capable of conquering any heights. I wish you new successes and all the best.”

This is not, of course, the first time citizens of the Federation might have reason to be proud of a little sedentary sporting. A Russian invented Tetris, after all. (Check it out – it even comes installed in Russian vans!)

 

 

 

 

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