Home Gaming First StarCraft 2 player officially recognised as an athlete by America

First StarCraft 2 player officially recognised as an athlete by America

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Dong... lol

We all know that the most lucrative and successful eSports competitions occur in America and we also know that most of the really good StarCraft 2 players are based in Korea. This unfortunate situation has resulted in many of the highest paid gamers not being the best gamers.

Well back in May this year the American government officially decreed that eSports athletes are equal to other athletes and that rule change has now changed a young South Korean mans life forever.

Kim ‘Violet’ Dong Hwan is a 23 year old professional StarCraft 2 player from South Korea who has competed in America a few times while being there on a student visa.

However his student visa then expired and all attempts to get a new one were rejected by the immigration agency. As a last resort Kim recently applied for a P-1A visa which is a visa specifically created for top tier athletes to train and perform in America for a period of 5 years, after which he can then apply again.

This is the same visa that many swimmers and gymnasts (to name just two) use to live in America while perfecting their sport.

And the good news is that Kim has now been granted that visa which means for the next 5 years at least he is able to compete in all the American competitions and will be in line for millions in prize money.

So all you guys and girls studying Masters and and PHD’s in an attempt to capture an American visa are doing it wrong. Back in the basement with all of you.

And yes I’m planning on going to Home Affairs to get a new middle name of Dong as well, because I’m childish.

Last Updated: December 12, 2013

34 Comments

  1. TiMsTeR1033

    December 12, 2013 at 09:27

    I admire their dedication to games.. but I for one plays games to de stress and have fun, doing this must be stressful as hell at times.

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      December 12, 2013 at 09:36

      Exactly. It’s for fun times after another day of soul and/or brain death.

      Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      December 12, 2013 at 09:42

      It’s the same as people who code for fun and code for a living…

      Reply

      • Willem Van Wyk

        December 12, 2013 at 09:53

        When I started coding for a living I pretty much stopped coding for fun 🙁

        Reply

        • Gavin Mannion

          December 12, 2013 at 09:54

          trust me I know that feeling

          Reply

          • Willem Van Wyk

            December 12, 2013 at 10:19

            It is sad that we don’t, coding gives you the ability to create just about anything and yet it has destroyed our creativity 🙁 Talking of which, got to get back to work

        • Admiral Chief of pixels

          December 12, 2013 at 09:55

          One does not ever code for “fun”

          Unless you consider fun as Frustrating Untold Negativity

          Reply

          • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

            December 12, 2013 at 10:02

            A friend of mine is doing a 24 hour coding session tonight for fun…

          • TiMsTeR1033

            December 12, 2013 at 10:03

            that is very sad…

          • Admiral Chief of pixels

            December 12, 2013 at 10:08

            You are not serious?

          • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

            December 12, 2013 at 10:08

            I’ll send you a link to their webcast if you want…

          • LesMossel

            December 12, 2013 at 10:08

            Does he know what fun means?

  2. Admiral Chief of pixels

    December 12, 2013 at 09:49

    Gavin Dong Mannion, nice ring to it

    Reply

    • CodeName Tailgunner

      December 12, 2013 at 09:56

      Why would you want to add a ring to a dong?

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief of pixels

        December 12, 2013 at 09:57

        Else it was a Ding Dong, now its a Ring Dong

        Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          December 12, 2013 at 09:57

          O_O

          Reply

        • CodeName Tailgunner

          December 12, 2013 at 09:59

          Met a guy once with a ring through his dong

          And now you ask how would I know?

          The answer is unfortunately that he showed me, and note that I only met him once

          GO KEMPTON

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief of pixels

            December 12, 2013 at 10:00

            Hahaha

      • Shift-Tab John (JJ)

        December 12, 2013 at 10:01

        Well, as far as I know, if you liked it you shudda putta ring on it.

        Reply

        • CodeName Tailgunner

          December 12, 2013 at 10:02

          You forgot the #ForeverSP

          Reply

          • Shift-Tab John (JJ)

            December 12, 2013 at 10:04

            That’s The Emperor though. I ain’t putting a ring on that.

            I don’t actually know which “#forever” the Admiral would be.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            December 12, 2013 at 10:05

            🙁 The rejection, it’s burnssssssss

  3. Admiral Chief of pixels

    December 12, 2013 at 09:56

    I hereby formally request that Gavin change his disqus name to Gavin Dong Mannion.

    All those in favour?

    Reply

    • Shift-Tab John (JJ)

      December 12, 2013 at 10:01

      *raises hand*

      Reply

      • TiMsTeR1033

        December 12, 2013 at 10:03

        AMEN!

        Reply

    • LesMossel

      December 12, 2013 at 10:07

      Aye.

      Reply

    • Charl van der Merwe

      December 18, 2013 at 09:34

      aYE!

      Reply

  4. Shift-Tab John (JJ)

    December 12, 2013 at 09:59

    Gavin Dong. Personally I think Gavin Wang sounds better.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief of pixels

      December 12, 2013 at 10:00

      Oooh, agreed!

      Reply

  5. Russki_ZA

    December 12, 2013 at 10:26

    “We all know that the most lucrative and successful eSports competitions occur in America” – Not true. Korea and Europe has a much bigger esports scene.

    Reply

  6. Warren Ross

    December 12, 2013 at 10:38

    An important legal step for pro gamers, but I don’t think I’ll ever reach the point where I consider a bunch of people playing multiplayer games to be inherently the same kind of thing as an actual athlete. But then, I don’t really consider darts players or pro bowlers to be “athletes” either, so fair’s fair.

    Reply

  7. Colin

    December 12, 2013 at 14:24

    Hmm, all members of the official MSSA eSports national teams are recogniseds as athletes by the South African government, and have been so since 2005.

    Reply

  8. EB5 Requirements XIPHIAS

    September 4, 2019 at 10:05

    Hey guys,
    The P-1 visa is for individuals who wish come to the U.S. to participate as an athlete in an internationally recognized athletic competition for a short period of time. If you are planning to relocate USA, then you must consult XIPHIAS Immigration which is the best P1 visa consultants in Dubai, guides and work on your visa application with 100% success.

    Reply

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