Since today, July 4th, the 2024 Esports World Cup is taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a massive event. Until August 25th, there will be competitions for a prize pool of $62.5 million: Players will compete in League of Legends, Starcraft II, Street Fighter 6, DOTA 2, Apex Legends, and many other games. One team has now been allowed to wear pride jerseys in rainbow colors.
This was the big discussion around the event: It is the same discussion that took place during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar:
- An important sports event is taking place, where there is a lot of money and fame at stake – but the hosting country is – from a Western perspective – highly problematic
- Is it morally acceptable for athletes to participate when the ruling regime is so difficult?
- Can and should athletes make a statement there, or will it backfire, like it did for the German national football team with the “One Love” armband (via spiegel)?
In the past, there have always been counter-movements when Western companies wanted to do business in Saudi Arabia, for example in 2020 with Rot Games.
LoL also tells beautiful, less controversial stories:
Pride jerseys in Saudi Arabia
This is now the news: As reported by journalist Rod Breslau, the US team Team Liquid has been allowed to wear pride jerseys in rainbow colors. All teams that Team Liquid sends to Riyadh will therefore compete in pride jerseys.
The permission is unusual, as there is generally a hostile environment for the LGBTQ+ community in Saudi Arabia, where same-sex love is prohibited.
Team Liquid is one of the most well-known and successful esports teams in the world. They are represented in a vast array of games, having won 5 championship titles in LoL in the USA, and also have strong teams in, from our perspective, exotic games such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
How it is being discussed: On the English-speaking Twitter, the news is being received very differently:
- On one hand, it is seen as a “massive and unexpected victory” for Team Liquid and a sign that even in Saudi Arabia, things are moving towards change.
- Others react cynically to the news – evaluating it as an empty gesture that does nothing to change the real conditions in the country.
Generally, the esports event in Saudi Arabia is viewed critically by many as the attempt of an unjust regime to gain more respect and relevance through “sport”. This is referred to as “sports-washing”.
However, the permission to wear the pride jersey seems to be an example of an effect that supporters of such events have always hoped for, that such events not only enhance a country’s reputation but also bring about change. For those who want to read more about gaming in Saudi Arabia, we recommend the GameStar-Plus report on the topic: Everywhere cuts are being made, but Saudi Arabia is investing a lot of money in video games – here’s what it’s about
