Correct move by Ukrainians. Get people talking!
It’s a (very costly) sacrifice worth making.
I think it’s a good and powerful move.
I don’t have the words to express what I feel and think, but I try my best: they don’t hate the Russians, they hate Russia.
It’s a shame that most of the groups/people involved voted in favor of admitting Russian players back in, at least under the Russian flag.
I think the decision made by FIDE (International Chess Federation) for their sport is a fine compromise that this E-Sports federation should have adopted as well. In protest of the Ukraine invasion, FIDE banned any players from playing under the Russian or Belarusian flag, but allowed them to play anyways under a neutral, FIDE flag. And for players from Russia that were outspoken against Ukraine or in favor of Russia’s invasion (i.e. Sergey Karjakin), they were penalized and barred from play on an individual case-by-case basis.
It shows that this invasion won’t be tolerated, but at the same time, you as a player will only be punished if you choose to support it on your own volition, rather than by association.