ESFI meets IOA, presents training kits for Asian Games

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) handed over the training kits to the country’s eSports athletes as they gear up to represent the country in four eSports titles—DOTA 2, FIFA 22, Street Fighter V, and League of Legends—at the Hangzhou Asian Games, which will be held in September-October this year.

Joint secretary and acting CEO of the IOA, Kalyan Chaubey, handed over the exclusive kits produced by Hama to the Indian eSports contingent on Wednesday at the IOA Office in Delhi, as per a press release from ESFI. The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) organised a special meeting with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) yesterday. Chaubey, Joint Secretary and acting CEO of the IOA, presented the training kits to ‘Street Fighter V’ athlete Mayank Prajapati, ‘League of Legends’ player Mihir Ranjan, and FIFA ace Harman Tikka in the presence of Lokesh Suji, Director of ESFI and Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF), Yugal Sharma, Vice President of ESFI, and Prabhat Kumar, Vice President of ESFI.

Chaubey also engaged in a discussion with the ESFI representatives and Indian athletes to motivate them for the Asian Games and talk about fostering an ecosystem that enables eSports to thrive in the country.

Esports recently gained official recognition as a multi-sport event by the Government of India and is set to make its debut as a full-fledged medal sport at the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games. The country will be sending a proficient 15-member contingent to compete in four different titles, including Dota 2, FIFA 22, Street Fighter V, and League of Legends, at the prestigious tournament set to take place from September 23 to October 8.

The athletes secured their berth for the tournament by prevailing in the National Esports Championship (NESC 22) organized by the ESFI last year. The rest of the members of the Indian contingent will receive their training kits via courier. Comprising state-of-the-art gaming accessories including a mouse, mousepad, headset, keyboard, and a bag, the training kits will enhance the performance of the country’s athletes when they represent India on the international stage.

While the ESFI has been instrumental in preparing the Indian eSports contingent for the Asian Games, their recent multi-year partnership with FITGMR will be key to enabling a comprehensive training programme that will provide the athletes with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed on the global stage.

The IOA and the ESFI will work together to promote eSports in India, provide a conducive environment for growth, and ensure opportunities for budding eSports athletes to showcase their talent on the international stage.