US Denies Visa To German ‘League of Legends’ Pro Gamer,Forced Out of America

A German League of Legends pro player Marcel “Dexter” Feldkamp was searched, detained and turned back by US border control on his way to an eSports tournament in California.

[SynGamer]

Ouch...that sucks. I almost had that happen to me when I was working in the US, but had recently moved to Canada.

[caseh]

It's the only way they can win titles these days, refuse access into the country for the best players. :D

[YellowTempes]

Win by denying the adversaries access to the competition. Quite an effective method apparently.

[cleft5]

If you read the article you will see that his Visa wasn't completely approved yet. So most likely some out of touch agent didn't understand what he was in the country on business for and just refused him entry.

This has nothing to do with the US wanting to win anything, this is just clearly assign of an out of touch agency fucking up. My heart goes out to the guy and his team, but while LoL is a famous Sport it isn't that well known in the US, so the people denying him access just didn't understand the extent of what they where doing and thought he was trying to pull some sort of scam to get illegal work in the US.

[Cueil]

your not understanding cleft5... they did this to a professional baseball player... they've done it to NFL and NBA players as well... you got to have your shit in order or you're going to the boot

[Wenis]

You really think the US government cares that much about video game competitions?

[DrJones]

Yes.

[il-JumperMT]

There is no such thing as League of Legends Pro Gamer.

They are just baddies who are unable to handle DOTA2 or HoN

[SniperControl]

"His athlete visa needs to be approved before he comes back however"

Athlete?!?

Oh Please....

[Ultraplayerxp]

Pro and league of legends shouldn't be used in the same sentence.

[dennett316]

The guy may not be telling the full story....there seems little reason to arrest him and deny access on the athlete Visa (calling them athletes is beyond stupid in my eyes, but that's another discussion), unless he had a criminal conviction that would restrict entry.
It could be they just felt like being a******s to this guy for no reason, but I highly doubt that.

[Summons75]

No, you're correct. This guy is hiding the real reason because when you get arrested you either A - know why you are because you know what you did/ are doing is illegal or B - they HAVE to tell you by law. Either it was his visa status being unapproved yet (or even denied without him knowing yet) or he had something on him or in his luggage see strange to where they had to question it. If he was being searched, questioned, and his luggage 'lost' (or confiscated) then he would certainly know why right away.

I also agree 'Pro-gaming' is a stupid reason to get a Athlete Visa because an athlete is defined by - a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise, and as much as I love to game it certainly is NOT physical exercise. Which is most likely why I feel his Athlete Visa was denied and he just wasn't aware of it yet.

[Serg]

The US recognizes League of Legends as a sport. The term may not be correct in the public eye, but the fact is the US government thinks it is and is actively issuing them out to pro gamers who seek to compete in tournaments on US soil. Dexter is not the first LoL pro player who went to the US, there are currently 5-6 players from Europe and one Chinese team in the US who are there to compete in League of Legends tournaments and leagues. I assume all of them on athlete visas.

[ziggurcat]

@ Serg:

The US also defines pizza as a vegetable, and everyone else in the world knows it's not, so...

[ziggurcat]

oh FFS... video gaming isn't a sport, and these people aren't even close to being "athletes."

they probably took a look at his "athlete's visa", took a look at him, laughed uncontrollably, and told him to come back with his athlete's visa when he played an actual, real sport.

[hkgamer]

True... I'm pretty sur. No one looks at it as a proper sport... And since there's not enough money to back them up moat people would be refused.

[Serg]

Well the basic definition of a sport is a competitive game. Nothing says physical activity is a must for something be a sport. All I know is, these guys are training 8-12 hours a day, they fly all over the world in their sponsor-plastered team uniforms competing in tournaments for a whole lot of money, up to 1 million dollars worth of prize money actually. They have their own league and salaries. Also fact is that the Season 3 finale was held in the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where fans managed to crash the SC website trying to buy tickets, all of which were gone in under an hour. Not even counting the 33 million viewers who tuned in from accross the globe.

Looking at these numbers and facts, do you think anyone involved in this scene, be it spectators, players or behind the scenes gives a rats ass if anyone from the outside considers it a sport? Well, the US does, that's why they are issuing the exact same visas athlethes from "traditional" sports get when they enter the country to compete. Dexter couldn't yet receive one because he wasn't officially under contract and therefore has been deported.

By the way I'd love to hear why a video game cannot possibly be a sport, yet Chess is internationally recognized as one. I'd love to hear what makes Chess a sport (I do think it is one, just FYI).

[Jdoki]

@ Serg.

Good comment

There is some dispute over the term athlete though.

If you take the original Latin or Greek meaning it is basically 'prize' or 'compete for a prize' or 'contestant in the games'. In which case Athlete is perfectly valid for these guys.

However, the vast majority of credible dictionary definitions explicitly state physical exertion - so it is arguable if moving a mouse truly meets that definition.

It's the same for most definitions of 'sport'. Almost all explicitly state physical exertion.

I'd argue that the definitions probably need updating, as the lines are obviously blurred. Take Darts for example - this is recognised worldwide as a sport, the same with Snooker or Pool or shooting - none of them take a significant amount of physical exertion. Most MOBA's take mental exertion which can be just as draining.

Why should shooting at a target in real life be a more valid sport than a MOBA where actions per minute, strategic thinking or any number of other more mental skills are needed.

And it follows that if someone playing a MOBA can be considered an athlete, then if they get paid for it they are a Professional Athlete - as money is the only distinction between the two.

[Wenis]

"so it is arguable if moving a mouse truly meets that definition"

If moving a mouse is physical exertion, then does sitting on the couch and scratching my balls (physical exertion) make me an athlete

[Jdoki]

@ Wenis

Depends... Do you do it as a team game?

[ziggurcat]

@ serg:

wrong. sport involves physical exertion. here's the definiton of sport below:

sport

noun
1.
an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.
"team sports such as baseball and soccer"
synonyms: (competitive) game(s), physical recreation, physical activity, physical exercise, athletics; More

hence why playing video games isn't a sport, and why these people aren't "athletes."

[Serg]

@ziggurcat

So then explain Chess to me, really I'd love to hear it. Are you going to sit here and tell me moving pieces on a board is physically demanding and requires regular excercise to remain active?

This is one of those nonsensical, philosophical debates like the one about video games and art. I do consider it a sport. Every activity that requires you to practice 60+ hours a week and is a viable career path is a sport in my book. The definition of sport requireing physical exertion needs to be updated, not just because of video games. There are plenty of other sports, internationally recognized, that have nothing to do with physical exertion.

Frankly I don't understand the backlash in these comments. One would think gamers would love for their hobby to be recognized as a competetive sport. Is it jeolousy because others are making money off of playing video games or what? I would expect pushback from old get-off-my-lawn types that refuse to accept any progress, but not from actual gamers... oh well.

No matter what people say, eSports will only continue to grow and at some point people will be forced to swallow that it is here to stay.

[Chris558]

Athlete ahahah what were they thinking???? lol as sport lol

[I_am_Batman]

Wow. Even the gaming community doesn't take e-sports serious. That's kinda sad.

On topic: Not a big CLG fan (mainly cause Doublelift talks too much trash and get his butt kicked more often than not) but that still really sucks for Dexter. I think they should've stayed together as Lemondogs. Part of the team got kicked out of LCS because they joined NIP. And now Dexter might have to join NA LCS later than he thought (if at all).

[Chris558]

Sad? e-"sports" thing is sad it is competitive level of gameplay but not sport i might be too old but i consider physical activities sport not clicking with a mouse

[I_am_Batman]

That only means that your definition of sports is way off. There are many different types of sport. What about coordination-centric sports like golf or billard. Or what about motorsports? Would you say that chess is a sport?

[mydyingparadiselost]

Little did our German friend know that his entire league was made up of NSA personnel.

[The_Truth_24_7]

Nein nein nein!

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[memots]

ze german ya?!

[desertpunk86]

it can take 5 years almost $10,000 dollars a block of paper work and a good lawyer to get a visa for my father you might as well come in here illegally cuz this system has been built to keep foreigners out.

[Sethry101]

Two years ago I went to the US on a school tour from South Africa (a country know around the world for fake VISA's) the US embassy gave me a 10 year VISA, just like that I could go and live in the US for 5-7 years to earn Citizen ship.

So its really not thaaaat hard. Or at least it wasn't for me.

[Tultras]

I find it astonishing that even with the Internet at your fingertips, you people still comment about things you know sh*t about.

Gaming IS a sport, though out of bounds of physical activity. Both chess and bridge are recognised as sports by the Olympic committee, There are different games recognised as being sports In different parts of the world, League of legends is a sport in the USA.

[LordDhampire]

It is not a sport, I don't care if the olympic commitee recognizes it or not non of the items you listed are sports, just because a comittee accwpted the fact means that a lot of dumb people got together and complained, just like the dumb people who run peta, and voted for obama, the world is filled with ignorance

[LordDhampire]

League of legends is garbage anyways

[Sadist3]

The first white man that has been denied something. Times are changing.