Världens största esport-turnering, The International 10, skulle hållas i Globen – men eftersom esport-evenemang inte räknas som ”elite sporting event” i Sverige så har Valve börjat leta andra länder för eventet. Läs nyheten här.

Valve kontaktade den svenska regeringen och bad om hjälp – utan resultat.
SVT har begärt ut mejlkorrespondensen och kan nu publicera den här.

Från Doug Lombardi på Valve:

Hello,

I am writing today to see if there is any way we can come to an agreement to keep this year’s Dota International Championships – the largest esports event in the world — in Stockholm this August, as originally planned.

As you may or may not have heard, Sweden’s Minister of Internal Affairs has declined to recognize The International as an elite sporting event, so we are unable to hold the event in Sweden as we believed would be possible this summer. As a result, we are making alternative plans in another city that is willing to host the teams, press, fans, and tens of millions of dollars in tourism generated from the International.

Please let us know by Monday, 21 June, if there is any way to remedy this issue or if there is potential benefit from us having a conversation about what might still be possible. If we are unable to resolve the issue by then, we will officially begin the process of moving the event by letting the players, vendors, and press know the location of the event is due to change.

Daug Lombaris mejl till Regeringen

Svaret från Per Lindström på Justitsdepartementet lyder:

Good afternoon,

I have been asked to answer your e-mail.

As you may have heard, the Ministry of Justice is at this moment not handling any changes to the relevant ordinance (förordning [2020:127] om tillfälligt inreseförbud till Sverige) when it comes to the exemption concerning highly skilled workers. However, on the 18th of June the Council of the EU updated the list of countries, special administrative regions and other entities and territorial authorities for which travel restrictions should be lifted: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/06/18/council-updates-the-list-of-countries-special-administrative-regions-and-other-entities-and-territorial-authorities-for-which-travel-restrictions-should-be-lifted/

This update at the EU level is now being processed by the Ministry of Justice.

Per Lindström, Justitsdepartementet.