WePlay Esports Explains Why It Arranged a Private Flight For Chinese Teams

Chinese teams participating in the WePlay AniMajor were burdened by travel problems on May 27, 2021, when they found that their return tickets from Kyiv had been void. WePlay Esports, in an astonishing move, provided the teams with a private flight. The organization has now come forward to explain its reasoning behind doing so and the factors that led to this “unprecedented step.” WePlay Esports stated that it had to initially modify the flight schedule of a couple of Chinese teams to meet their requirements. However, a larger issue arose when the Chinese teams' return flights became void because of the changes in international air traffic. To resolve the situation, WePlay then opted to arrange a private flight for the Chinese participants. 

RELATED:  WePlay Esports Arranges Private Flight For Chinese Teams Competing at the AniMajor

WePlay Esports talks about the travel issues of the Chinese participants 

According to Vitaliy Bozhko, lead esports manager at WePlay Esports, there were concerns about Chinese teams from the very beginning. Here are the prominent developments that are written down in his statement.

• Vici Gaming’s manager communicates his inability to travel with the team for the WePlay AniMajor just a few days before their departure.
• Team Aster agrees to assist Vici Gaming in its trip on request from WePlay Esports.
• Team Aster communicates afterward that they would require additional time to leave since their players had an opportunity to get vaccinated.
• Team Aster’s flights are rescheduled to a later date while PSG.LGD’s flight gets aligned with Vici Gaming’s flight so that the two teams get to the Major together. (WePlay’s purpose was to get the teams as early as possible so they have time “in the lead-up to WePlay AniMajor.”)
• The return tickets of Chinese teams get canceled after changes in international air traffic. (Without return tickets, they can not depart for Kyiv since Ukraine’s pandemic protocols mandate the possession of a return ticket when entering Ukraine.)
• WePlay Esports decides to arrange a private flight for the return of Chinese teams to “conduct WePlay AniMajor in full force.”

Vitaliy Bozhko concludes his statement by saying that they took this unexpected step because the reasons were also unique. 

“This is an unprecedented step for us, but the reasons for it are unique. It’s hard for me to imagine another scenario in which a tournament operator would go to such lengths.”

Dota 2 fans have lauded WePlay Esports for arranging the private flight for the four Chinese teams - Team Aster, PSG.LGD, Vici Gaming, and Invictus Gaming. Under WePlay's practice of giving players a warm welcome, these teams have also been greeted at the airport. You can keep an eye on the organization’s Twitter, and Instagram handles for such intriguing content.

Team Aster will begin in the playoffs, PSG.LGD in the group stage and Vici Gaming and Invictus Gaming in the wild card of the WePlay AniMajor. The wild card will take place on June 2-3, the group stage on June 4-7, and the playoffs from June 9-13. Although the games will be played on LAN at the WePlay Esports Arena Kyiv, the pandemic still prohibits spectators from attending in person, similar to the Singapore Major. A total of 18 teams are going to compete in the WePlay AniMajor for a total prize pool of $500,00 USD and 2700 DPC points.