- There are many Ukrainian pro players in active warzones in Ukraine
- “We should not be playing while our peers are suffering,” said professional players
- The ALGS has still said nothing about the matter
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shocked the entire world, including professional Apex Legends players, who urge the postponing of EMEA Pro League matches.
Players Call to Postpone the Pro League
Dark days have come to Europe once again as Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of February 24, local time. The effects of this war are already reaching out of the area, as the ruble dropped significantly, and prices for things like oil and gas have quickly gone up.
The world of esports has also been affected, with many professional players calling out in support of Ukraine. These include Ukrainian game studios, which condemn the invasion of their country. Many Apex Legends pros have urged for the upcoming EMEA Pro League matches to be postponed. The league has many players based in Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv, for which there are reports of gunfire around its suburbs at the writing of this article.
Twitter erupted with condemnation to the Russian attack, with many Apex pros also writing against the war. Among them is Croatian player Dan “rpr” Ušić who wrote that it’s not right for him and his peers to play while others from the league are suffering.
Ukrainian player Maksym “Max-Strafe” Stadniuk, who currently plays for GMT Esports, also urged the postponing of the tournaments, while the conflict is ongoing, and expressed his support for his homeland.
This statement is supported by non-Slavic professionals like Norwegian player Martin “Pjeh” Aamyri who wrote, “We in the EMEA pro community of Apex Legends have decided to postpone everything competitive which includes practice and hopefully the people in charge of the ALGS will realize that we will not play during these times.”
Just a week ago, Ukrainian pro players seemed to not be too bothered by the buildup of Russian forces on their borders. Practices for the upcoming Pro League split were going on as normal, and everything seemed it would blow over soon. However, the breakup of diplomatic relations and the subsequent invasion has proven otherwise.
While many players from all around the world have urged the ALGS to freeze any upcoming plans, the organization has been not yet responded. They tweeted out the group assignments for the EMEA Pro League less than a day ago.
With the current state of war in Ukraine, it is absurd to imagine is any tournament could be held. There is no knowing how long this crisis will continue, and players, especially Ukrainian ones, have a lot more to worry about than some video game competition.
