British Esports announced on Tuesday that ESL FACEIT Group, Durham University, Ear to the Ground, OG, and Tech Her Out members had joined the Women in Esports Committee. ESL FACEIT Group Partnerships Manager Tracy Luseno, Tech Her Out creator and founder Leila Gregory, Durham University Technical Specialist Esports Kylie Kendrick, Ear to the Ground Gaming, Esports, and Cultural Strategist Savannah Ross, OG Team Manager Vladyslava ‘Vlady’ Zakhliebina, and esports host Keltoum ‘Giniro’ Baddaje are among the new members.
The committee welcomes all the new members, including British Esports Head of Operations Alice Leaman, British Esports Project Development Lead Billie Purdie, Tundra Esports Account Manager Seriera Lavasani (Sue), Swipe Right PR Founder & Director Kirsty Endfield, Belong VP Customer & Strategy Mary Antieul, Capcom HR Assistant Jasmine Hong, streamer Leah Alexandra, Story Mob Managing Director Karen Low, DotX Talent Manager Becks Donaldson, NSE Senior Partnerships Manager Becky Wright, and Nox Lumina Director Cassie Hughes.
Meanwhile, Morgan Ashurst, Bryony-Hope Green, Milly Clay, Freya Spiers, Giulia Zecchini, Tasha Jones, and Dominika Szot have stepped down from the committee.
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British Esports characterizes its Women in Esports initiative as “an equity, diversity, and inclusivity initiative aimed at empowering women and marginalized genders in esports” through pillars like education, engagement, empowerment, and expertise. The initiative is overseen by British Esports Project Development Lead Billie Purdie, Head of Operations Alice Whorley, and Tundra Esports Account Manager Sue Lavasani, who chairs the committee.
The Women in Esports Committee’s alignment with another initiative recently unveiled by British Esports and the activities of its CEO, Chester King, have sparked controversy, given their association with the Saudi Arabian government. This connection has drawn criticism from international rights groups due to Saudi Arabia’s track record concerning the treatment of women.
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In October 2023, British Esports announced a partnership with the Saudi Esports Federation, aiming to establish connections and explore opportunities within the Saudi Arabian esports scene. The Saudi Esports Federation, led by HRH Prince Faisal, a member of the ruling royal family, has direct ties to the government, which has faced scrutiny for its alleged suppression of free speech, LGBTQ+ rights, and gender equality, as highlighted by organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. British Esports CEO Chester King stated that the organization was taken aback by the response to the partnership and clarified that they were not receiving financial benefits from the collaboration.
Recently, it was reported that King would be travelling to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to participate in GREAT FUTURES, an event aimed at promoting collaboration between the UK business sector and the Saudi Arabian government. During the event, King is set to present on how the “Saudi Esports Federation and British Esports Federation” will support Saudi Arabia’s gaming and esports strategy, to generate over 35,000 jobs and contribute $13.3 billion to the country’s GDP by 2030.
