ESFI Seeks Approval For Participation of India in the PUBG Tournament at Hangzhou Asian Games
India is attempting to compete in the PUBG Tournament, a new addition in Asiad 2022 alongside eight sports including ‘Arena of Valor.’ Although the news comes as a global breakthrough, Indian players looking to participate have to earn the approval of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Sports Ministry. The prelim qualifiers for the remaining six entries began on March 15, 2022. Although the initial date issued was March 10, the schedule was pushed ahead. Likewise, the first two games in question are not in the picture yet.
Image credit: pia.images.co.uk Indian Boys on Gaming modePUBG Mobile’ and ‘Arena of Valor’ were previously banned in India due to their Chinese origin or ties. Although the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) has greenlit all eight esports, they don't have the final say. Since ‘PUBG’ is owned by the Chinese company Tencent, it was banned in India under Section A of the Information Technology Act in 2020. More than 100 apps were banned by the government because of increasing tensions between the two countries. It started in late 2020 when border issues came to the forefront in eastern Ladakh.
The government suspected the Chinese of exporting users’ data to their servers through such apps. Despite its ban, the popular game ‘PUBG Mobile’ was recreated as ‘Battlegrounds Mobile India.’ Officials from ESFI planned to approach the sports secretary Sujata Chaturvedi hoping to confirm India's participation in the game. “We have to get permission from the government to participate in these events,” as stated by ESFI president Vinod Kumar Tiwari. “Can we hold a qualifier for it and go for it?” We are speaking to the ministry and we will try to explain. If they give us the go-ahead, we will compete in all E-sports else we will compete in six.”
If the government allows Indians to participate in these two controversial games, ‘Battlegrounds Mobile India’ (BGMI) will replace ‘PUBG Mobile’ while ‘Clash of Titans’ will act as a substitute for ‘Arena of Valor’. “The gaming communities have themselves come up with these ideas,” as revealed by ESFI director Lokesh Suji. “This, however, is only if we get a go-ahead.” Since the apps are banned in many parts worldwide, a special Asian Games version, with decreased violence, has been designed.
According to Tiwari, the director of international relations at the Olympic Council of Asia, “PUBG is banned not just in India but in quite a few other countries in Asia as well”. So, we have made an Asian Games edition. It’s the same for ‘Arena of Valor’. There’s no killing in that, it’s just target shooting and all those things." The former will have four players, and the latter could settle for five apart from having one substitute player each. In case the officials agree, the playoffs for qualification are likely to take place from March 20 to April 10. The main event will thereafter begin on September 10, 2022.