The annual Dota 2 championship tournament, known as The International, was to be held in Stockholm this year, but Valve said earlier this week that it is "looking at alternative possibilities" for the host city. The Swedish government has refused to classify the tournament as an "elite sporting event" and without that classification, players could be denied entry due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Valve said it was exploring other options "in case the Swedish government cannot accept The International," leaving open the possibility of a last-minute agreement. However, the Swedish Esports Association announced today that Valve has decided to move the event.

Interestingly, the relocation was announced just hours after the association, which was not involved in the negotiations between Valve and Swedish authorities, suggested a workaround to the problem. The Esports Association said in a statement (via Google Translate), "In order to save The International, the tournament needs to be sanctioned by the sports movement and the International Federation, and we will start a dialogue with Valve, the organizer, as soon as possible."

"The Association has sent several messages directly to the organizers and through Swedish professional teams and other esports organizations. We hope to be able to establish the necessary conditions to change the status of the tournament and to start a dialogue with the organizers so that The International can take place in Stockholm."

Given the inaccuracy of Google Translate, this sounds more like an idea than a solution.

"We have now been in touch with Valve who have announced that they will not be completing their plans with Stockholm International," the association tweeted. In response to this decision, the association said it will focus on ensuring that a similar situation does not occur in the future.

Sammi Kaidi, president of the Swedish Esports Association, told Expressen that he had received an email from Valve thanking the organization for its efforts, but that the opportunity to bring the event to Stockholm had passed. We look forward to hosting an event in Sweden in the future at a better time for everyone," he wrote.

It is not clear at this time where The International will be held instead of Stockholm, or if it will need to be postponed to accommodate the change. We have contacted Valve for more information and will update if we hear back.

Thank you Dot Esports.