A top Ukrainian official has announced that he will encourage the growth of esports in Ukraine as a source of income for the state budget.
“Esports is a powerful global trend. About 600 million people, including millions of Ukrainians, are engaged in this activity,” Oleh Nemchinov, minister of the Cabinet of Ministers, said in a message on his Telegram messenger channel. “Thus, esports should become part of our country’s economy as competition, infrastructure and game development can significantly replenish the country’s budget.”
“Ukraine is very attractive in geographic, practical and pricing terms. This, of course, opens up new opportunities and prospects,” he added.
Nemchinov published the message following a meeting with Oleksandr Kohanovsky, co-founder of top ranked Ukrainian esports team Na’Vi and the new owner of Ukraine’s landmark Dnipro Hotel. Nemchinov convened the meeting with the Ukrainian Professional Esports Association, a newly formed organization established by Kohanovsky that claims to represent “all representatives of the Ukrainian e-industry.”
The minister expressed his intention to utilize esports as a tool to advance social development, empower youth and promote greater interaction with foreign languages.
“This phenomenon should become a synthesis of education, sports, medical rehabilitation, vocational adaptation and healthy lifestyle,” he said. “Esports can also dispel a large number of social stereotypes, such as gender ones.”
The Ukrainian Professional Esports Association is appealing to the government to classify esports as a “non-Olympic sport.” This will allow them to “obtain national status and join international bodies” the minister stated.
On July 15, a largely unknown company purchased Kyiv’s iconic Dnipro Hotel through a privatization auction. The sale of the hotel caused controversy because it was purchased through a shell company, leading Ukrainian authorities to check for possible Russian funding.
Then, on July 23, the mysterious buyer revealed himself to be Kokhanovsky.
Kokhanovsky later announced that he planned to transform the hotel into an “esports arena.” He declared the purchase a victory because the tender “wasn’t won by Russian oligarchs but (by) Ukrainian tech guys.”
