Ukrainian esports holding company WePlay Holding announced this weekend it has terminated all partnership agreements with companies from Russia and Belarus amidst Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
WePlay also announced it would not organise Russian-language broadcasting for the upcoming Gamers Galaxy: Dota 2 Invitational Series Dubai 2022, instead opening up the event to community casting.
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WePlay Holding is an esports holding company that operates tournament organiser WePlay Esports and fighting games hub DashFight, among others. The company has offices in Kiev, Ukraine as well as Los Angeles, USA.
The move comes in response to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which started on 24th February and has sparked international condemnation and a raft of sanctions by Western countries.
WePlay Holding said it has terminated ‘all types of cooperation with legal entities from the Russian Federation,’. This includes all partnership agreements with companies from the country. WePlay Holding subsidiaries WePlay Esports, Compete, DashFight and WePlay Collectibles will not promote legal entities related to the Russian Federation.
Starting immediately, WePlay will not advertise any brands of Russian origin in its broadcasts. It is also ceasing cooperation with contractors from Russia.
Additionally, due to what it describes as the ‘collaboration of the government of the Republic of Belarus’ in the war, WePlay Holding has also terminated all partnership agreements with Belarusian companies. Belarus is a staunch ally of Russia and its President Vladimir Putin and has also been subject to sanctions from the West over its role in the war.
Finally, WePlay Esports says it is refusing to broadcast the upcoming Gamers Galaxy: Dota 2 Invitational Series Dubai 2022 tournament in Russian. It will host a Ukranian-language broadcast instead, and open up Russian-language broadcasting to the community.
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A press statement on WePlay Holding’s website reads: “The Russian Federation committed an act of attack against the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine… In connection with these events, WePlay Holding cannot stand aside.”
WePlay Holding has said it will fulfil all of its obligations to other partner organisations. The company’s employees are currently working remotely to guarantee their safety, it said.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered its fifth day. Peace talks have begun between Russia and Ukraine, but international sanctions and aid continue to intensify.