Plenty Sport : EZINE 15 INTERACTIVE GAMING | Page 7

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ISSUE no 15 AUG 2015

IS IT A SPORT ? ASK CHOI
Choi "Polt" Seong Hun, is
one of the most successful StarCraft 2 players of
all time and is officially
recognized as an athlete
by the United States government. Together with
Fellow-StarCraft pro Kim
“Violet” Dong Hwan the
two South Koreans were
issued P-1A visa, a document reserved for
“internationally recognized athletes.” This is very much symbolic

pionship Series, the biggest international tour-

of eSports' movement towards mainstream

nament in StarCraft, Choi’s plans were given a

acceptance and discussions on whether

lucky extension. Even though he did not at first

eSports players should be considered

consider himself a true full-time player at the

“athletes.”

time, the amount of practice time he has put in

Apart from Choi's substantial winnings at

to getting better, was seen as time and money

his craft, he did spend time in the US previ-

spent investing in his personal and professional

ously as a student of English under a F-1

future. Choi has already been featured in The

student visa. When Blizzard, the game’s

Wall Street Journal giving even more validation

publisher, announced that the U.S. would

to Interactive Gaming as a sport and a profes-

host the American leg of the World Cham-

sion .