Why Chris Chan deserves another term as GEF President
Global Esports Federation President Chris Chan from Singapore.
What you need to know:
- GEF has also worked with the European Olympic Committees in staging the inaugural European Games Esports Championship
- He has laid a proper foundation and now he deserves the chances to lead us to the take-off era
- Federations like our very own Esports Kenya Federation have been able to hold credible elections thanks to observance of these regulations and advisory support from GEF that was offered to our Ministry of Sports
Back in 2019, when the esports community was yearning for a convening body to address its interests and spearhead its growth, a group of courageous and forward-thinking leaders from all corners came together to form the Global Esports Federation.
The enormous task of leading the global esports community from scratch was placed on the shoulders of Chris Chan, a veteran sports administrator who also serves as the Secretary General of the Singapore National Olympic Council.
Not only has Chan lived up to the expectations the esports world had, but he has also outlived them.
He has led the federation on the right path in promoting esports' credibility, legitimacy and prestige.
From the inclusion of esports in the 2022 Commonwealth Games rooster to hosting the inaugural Pan American Esports Championship, President Chan has been able to take esports to the big stage, side-by-side with mainstream sports.
The efforts have gone a long way in legitimising esports from a policy perspective while giving it prestige by having gamers win medals, represent their nations and gain recognition just like athletes from other sports. GEF has also worked with the European Olympic Committees in staging the inaugural European Games Esports Championship.
In the spirit of cultivating competition along with developing communities, marginalised regions like Africa have been the biggest winners. The establishment of the African Esports Development Federation alongside the other continental esports development federations has boosted esports in our continent.
We have seen a record number of African gamers get an opportunity to compete in the global arena and multiple nations supported set up national esports federations. A historic African Esports Championship was held as an exhibition event in Lilongwe, Malawi, last year in collaboration with the African Union.
Credible efforts channelled towards focusing on athlete wellness, development of standards for inclusive fair play and athlete career support. The GEF Academy, powered by the GEF Education, Culture and Youth Commission, is a shining example of this with its partnership with the UNESCO Fit for Life Programme.
Establishing governance structures and guidelines has also strengthened the global esports community.
National bodies like Esports Kenya Federation have held credible elections thanks to the observance of these regulations and advisory support from GEF offered to our Ministry of Sports.
The Global Esports Games are also a cornerstone of President Chan's legacy. The successful hosting of these games annually has made them the most significant event on the global esports calendar, drawing the attention of gamers, esports enthusiasts, corporate bodies and governments.
President Chan has also led the federation into partnerships with other key stakeholders.
Publishers like Tencent, tournament organisers like ESL FACE IT, social impact institutions like Yunus Sports Hub and innovation partners like Global Sports Innovation Centre, among others, have all come on board.
Without any reasonable doubt, President Chan deserves another term. He has laid a proper foundation and now deserves the chance to lead us to the take-off era. Under President Chan, esports will grow even bigger and better and, most importantly, in a properly regulated space.
