Team Falcons' midlaner, Stanislav "Malr1ne" Potorak, has obtained a British visa and will be able to join the team at ESL One Birmingham 2024 for Dota 2. The organization announced this news on social media.
"Unfortunately, Malr1ne will not be able to compete in ESL One Birmingham 2024 from the beginning of the tournament. However, we hope that he will join the team before the end of the group stage, as he has recently obtained a visa to the United Kingdom.
We express our immense gratitude to Nigma Galaxy for allowing us to play with SumaiL in the early stages of the tournament." - Team Falcons
At the time of the news publication, Team Falcons is competing against BetBoom Team, leading with a score of 1:0. SumaiL is standing in for the team.
ESL One Birmingham 2024 will run until April 28th. Teams will be competing for a million-dollar prize pool, with the winner receiving $300,000 and 6,400 EPT points, essential for qualification in other ESL tournaments.
The process of obtaining visas for esports athletes has been a challenging and lengthy procedure in recent events, often posing significant hurdles for players and teams alike.
Esports athletes, like traditional athletes, require visas to travel internationally for tournaments and competitions. However, the recognition of esports as a legitimate sporting activity and the classification of players as professional athletes have varied from country to country. This inconsistency has led to complications in visa applications, with players facing delays, denials, and administrative obstacles.
In some cases, esports athletes have encountered difficulties due to the lack of specific visa categories tailored to their unique circumstances. Traditional sports visas may not adequately address the needs of esports professionals, leading to uncertainty and confusion in the application process.