Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE inaugural Commonwealth Esports championships preliminary planning has kicked off with the Global eSports Federation director of Esports Kelvin Tau heading the process.
Together with the Commonwealth Games Federation and the British Esports Association, the first GEF Team Preparation Guide (TPG) meeting will be held next week to brief the delegates as they commence team selections and preparations.
The #CESC2022 will be staged in Birmingham on August 6 to 7 at the city’s International Convention Centre (ICC) and is lining up to be an in-demand ticketed event for spectators. The Commonwealth Esports Forum – a global convention of thought leaders and idea creators – will be held at the same venue on August 5.
The event will bring together esports athletes from across the 72 Commonwealth nations and territories. The Commonwealth Esports Championships is a joint initiative by the GEF and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), as part of the Strategic Partnership announcement in May 2020.
“The Commonwealth Esports Championships is a breakthrough for esports and will be staged in the Commonwealth Games host city of Birmingham.
Following the mind-blowing viewership at December’s Singapore 2021 Global Esports Games, with more than 500 million global views, it’s exciting to start moving and taking our prestigious event portfolio to cheering fans around the world again,” said the GEF chief executive officer Paul Foster.
The GEF is meeting with partners, including the Commonwealth Games Federation, the British Esports Association, FACEIT, IMG – who produced the Singapore 2021 Global Esports Games, and the West Midlands Growth Company, among many others. FACEIT is the GEF’s Strategic Partner for Esports Services and is responsible for the production of the Commonwealth Esports Championships.
“I’m proud to be leading the teams in Birmingham to lay the foundations and establish the event team with our partners. We look forward to welcoming our community to the first-ever Commonwealth Esports Championships this summer,” said Tan.
In a media release Foster said despite the challenges in 2021, the GEF still managed to stage three editions of the Global Esports Tour, multiple #worldconnected series events, and the flagship Global Esports Games.
“We have welcomed the feedback on GEG 2021 from our community in last week’s Townhall session, and event debriefs with the stakeholders in Singapore, the publishers, IMG and all the delivery partners. In this very dynamic time for esports, we continue to evolve and shape our portfolio and adapt each of our marquee events,” said Foster.
The combination of the GEF’s inclusive community focus, powerful line-up of titles, and prestigious format setting welcomes great esports athletes and players to some of the world’s most remarkable cities, said GEF in it’s statement.
Following last week’s announcement, the GEF named Chester King, vice president and chief executive officer of the British Esports Association as chair of the Coordination Commission for the Commonwealth Esports Championships. He will work alongside Foster and the GEF management team to ensure seamless delivery of the landmark event.
The Commonwealth Esports Championships, alongside other global initiatives, are part of the GEF’s efforts to build an inclusive #worldconnected with esports at the core.
Zimpapers board chairman Tommy Sithole was last September appointed president of the Africa Esports Development Federation.
The veteran sports administrator is also the GEF vice-president and chairs its Governance, Ethics and Membership Commission.
Another Zimbabwean Tyrone Seward deputise King in the Education, Culture and Wellness Commission
Online Reporter