The International Esports Federation (IESF) of South Korea and the International School Sports Federation (ISF) have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote physical health among gamers in high schools.
The agreement allows for both parties to utilize their individual expertise to create and carry out projects aimed at improving the overall health of gamers in high school and around the world.
“We hope that the achievements we reach together will be a good example not only for the youth, but to all the gamers around the world,” the new president of IESF, Vlad Marinescu, said about the union. He goes on to say that the union will reinforce “responsible gaming” and motivate the youth “to move and be healthy.”
“We find this cooperation to be an innovative approach aiming to motivate the youth to get up, move, and take care of their mental, physical, and social health,” President Laurent Petrynka, who was recently appointed to be a member of the Olympic Education Commission, also stated.
His Highness Sheik Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahayan added: “The welfare of young people who participate in sports is a priority for all federations. IESF and ISF, through this agreement, can collaborate to craft suitable, safe strategies that enable students to flourish through physical, affective, and cognitive domains that form the foundations of an active, healthy life in esports.”
The agreement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between IESF and the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF), wherein both parties agreed that player safety is the top priority.
It appears that the massive popularity of esports has prompted serious considerations of how to best care for the players. All the federations involved in these recent memorandums have recognized the importance of mental and physical health in a player’s ability to reach their maximum potential, and thus are acting accordingly.
Since most scouts recruit professional gamers from high school, their focus is primarily on this demographic. However, the goals of the partnership extend to gamers of any age. Like with any sport, professionals and serious gamers are at risk of physical injuries and health issues. They include eye fatigue, neck and back pain, and carpal tunnel. In addition, few gamers get the recommended amount of daily exercise, making them even more prone to physical injury and complications with their health.
Mental health is another issue among esports professionals and gamers alike. Justin “Pulp” McGrath, for example, was expected to win the title at the Smash Bros. Melee event at the Evolution Championship Series in 2018. However, when he finished third right before the final, he experienced his first panic attack on stage. Pulp later stated that he’d “been a mess ever since… knowing I could start spazzing out any time I get on stage.”
Other efforts have been made recently to improve the health of esports competitors as well. For instance, Cloud9 launched a mental health campaign with Kaiser Permanente in May to increase mental health awareness among young gamers. All the initiatives mentioned here are in their beginning stages, but hopefully each will produce positive results.
