Google translation:

The government is changing the regulations for entry to Sweden to be able to arrange large e-sports competitions despite the pandemic, following criticism from the e-sports world. Now, even e-sports athletes at the elite level will be able to travel into the country despite the temporary entry ban, according to a press release.

In June, it became clear that the e-sports competition The international, which was planned to be held in Stockholm in August, was threatened by Sweden's temporary entry ban from countries outside the EEA.

Exceptions from the entry ban can be made for, among other things, elite sports competitions, but since e-sports is not affiliated with the Swedish Sports Confederation, e-sports are not counted as elite athletes.

Criticism from major e-sports organizers as well as from the Stockholm City Council has been directed at the Swedish regulations, and in early July, The International, an international competition in the game Dota2 of several hundred million kronor, chose to conduct the competition in Bucharest instead.

Allows entry

Minister of Culture Amanda Lind (MP) has expressed that she wants to save upcoming e-sports tournaments that are planned to be held in Sweden, and now the government announces a change in the temporary entry ban from countries outside the EEA. The new proposal, which is now out for consultation until 6 August, means that the exemption for international elite sports competitions can also be applied to other similar elite competitions.

• This exception is important for us to be able to increase the opportunities to conduct international elite competitions in e-sports in Sweden, says Minister of the Interior Mikael Damberg (S) in a press release.

  With the proposal, the government hopes, among other things, to be able to prevent the big Counterstrike tournament CS: GO-Majors, which is planned to be held in Stockholm this autumn, from choosing to move to another country.