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Canadian League of Legends player Danny “Shiphtur” Le has been granted a US visa after being recognised as a professional athlete, reports the LA Times.
Le required the visa in order to live and practice with his Team Coast members and is the first eSports player to be given the visa, which is usually reserved for athletes such as David Beckham.
“It’s kind of so big – actually kind of mind-blowing – that there’s a demand for visas for League of Legends,” said Le.
Le had earlier been denied a visa, but League of Legends creator Riot sought the assistance of immigration attorney Jeptha Evans.
Evans argued that Le could play for the US-based team under the P-1A visa program, designed to “enrich the nation’s cultural landscape” by allowing “diverse talent” to perform in the US.
Riot Vice President Dustin Beck said: “We had to show this was a profession. We had to make a case that this is just like Major League Baseball or the National Hockey League.”
Source: LA Times
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