Sri Lanka has officially recognised esports as an official sport, as per a declaration published on October 2nd.
The Ministry of Sports in Sri Lanka published the declaration following an announcement on September 26th by Harin Fernando, Minister of Telecommunications and Sports.
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The order developed out of a decade-long effort by the Sri Lankan Esports Association (SLESA) to see esports legitimised. Esports previously made an appearance at the 2018 Asian Games as a demonstration sport, leading to the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) aiding the effort to approve its official status as a sport.
Esports is a flourishing sport in Sri Lanka and is set to make its inaugural appearance as a medal event at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, which takes place this December in the Philippines.
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Sri Lanka has now joined the likes of France, Finland, Kazakhstan, and China as a country that recognises esports as an official sport.
Esports Insider says: Sri Lanka leads the charge in South Asia by elevating esports to an officially-recognised sport. The Southeast Asia Games will give esports another official platform in the region and it simply seems like a matter of time until more countries follow suit.
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