The Special Subcommittee on Electronic Sports of the Chamber held this Wednesday (15) a public hearing on the theme "Electronic sports in the social inclusion of children and adolescents". Members of the committee, representatives from the Sports and Leisure Department of DF, the Brazilian Fantasy Sport Association, the Moriá Association, and the National Academy of Sports Law participated in the debate. Opportunities in the job market were also pointed out as one of the benefits of the practice.
“Debates like this are fundamental so that lawmakers and society are aware of the importance of this subject. May we keep ourselves updated even to not lose ground to other countries. It is fundamental for this change of posture and mentality. Always help us to clarify this very important agenda for the Brazilian people,” stated the subcommittee rapporteur, deputy Márcio Marinho (Republicans/BA).
“The advancement of the gaming agenda takes us to a new level. We use technology in everything and games are part of it. It is very necessary to expand our knowledge,” reinforced deputy Ícaro de Valmir (PL/SE), president of the subcommittee.
The director of governmental relations of the ABFS, Bárbara Teles, spoke about the essence of electronic sport for social inclusion and the importance of competitions between athletes or against software to ensure a safe virtual environment and against any level of discrimination.
“Giving security to athletes is essential. And sports, whether traditional or electronic, including Fantasy Sport, can and should be used for the development of human beings' skills,” she indicated.
The statement was reiterated by the representative of the Sports and Leisure Department of the Federal District, David Leonardo. “We want it to be possible, more and more, to use electronic sports to strengthen ties, bring athletes closer, provide opportunities for youth to enter the world of work, an activity that opposes idleness. We can use eSports as a tool for social inclusion,” he stated.
For Sérgio Medeiros, from the Moriá Association (an entity that works in the defense of the social rights of the population, especially those in vulnerable situations), it is fundamental to understand that sports are a social reflection and their evolution over time.
“Today we see the game as a critique of areas related to our daily lives. There are sports from the Middle Ages that are no longer practiced because they no longer reflected the reality of that society, like the gladiators. Today we live in a society of information and technology. Nothing more fair than our sports accompanying this technological development.”
Issues such as combating harassment in competitions, accessibility, and democratization of access to electronic sports were also discussed. Interaction with citizens, who sent questions and suggestions, was the highlight of the hearing.
The inclusion of people in vulnerable situations in the sports universe and the combination of games with the education of young people were some of the topics of questions directed to the participants, who promptly clarified ideas and proposals for the issues raised and presented significant reflections for the growth of electronic sport in Brazil.
Source: GMB
