The decision was not long in coming. Just two days after the International Electronic Sports Federation (IESF) announced that Russian athletes would be reinstated in competitions under their colors and flags, Ukraine announced that it would not be sending a team to the 2023 World Championships. They are currently taking place in the Romanian city of Iasi. Ukrainian coach Dmitry Kuzmenko announced this on his Telegram account: “The Ukrainian national team is withdrawing from the IESF“. The international body voted in favor of the unconditional return of the Russian athletes at its congress earlier this week, with 32 votes in favor, 13 against and 25 abstentions. At the same congress, the IESF rejected a proposal by the Ukrainian e-sports federation (UCEF) to ban Russia from its member federations.
