Sibol vows transparency in selection process

在圣胡安市圣胡安竞技场举行的第30届东南亚运动会电子竞技比赛中，Sibol队在五局三胜的比赛中庆祝胜利。乔纳森塞罗纳ABS-CBN新闻/文件

马尼拉(UPDATED) -疫情的限制和锦标赛的不同要求使得国家电子竞技队的西波尔决定回到以前锦标赛中采用的"选秀组合"流程。

国家电子竞技队的总经理Jab Escutin告诉ABS-CBN新闻，这是为比赛挑选球员的"更有效"的方式，因为他们预计会有更多的限制。

西波尔宣布亚运之路官方名单

在上两次东南亚运动会期间，我们学到了很多东西。埃斯库廷在接受电话采访时说，所以我们又回到了联合的话题上，因为我们觉得，在举办国际赛事时，我们更有可能预见到不同主办国的更多限制

Sibol last used the "draft combine" process in the 2019 edition of the Southeast Asian Games, when the Philippines hosted the pilot esports tournament and bagged two gold medals for the team.

In selecting the participants of the 31st edition of the Southeast Asian Games held in Hanoi, Vietnam this year, registered teams for the qualifiers were acquired as a whole due to the age restrictions set by the SEA Games organizers in Hanoi, as people below 18 years old of age were barred from competing.

"Going with an entire full lineup was the easiest way for us to ensure that we would take home the gold. Kasi when it comes to COVID restrictions they were not allowed to join other people. Eh usually kasi the entire teams are already housed in a boot camp so at the time, it made much more sense to us," Escutin said.

The process of having a draft combine may seem unique to some, but it's not new - even to conventional sports like basketball.

“‘Yung combine process it's mostly the same with what other conventional sports are doing. An example is how the NBA does it. There is one whole team represented by the USA, same with the PBA,” Escutin said.

“When I was starting I was not a big fan of basketball but it weirds me out to see na "why would they have to pick from different teams when you have the champion team to do that?" pero I guess being part of the system and being part of the process I have a better understanding why they would want to do that. I think one of the reasons is that it gives them a lot more flexibility in making sure that each requirement is met by the teams,” he added.

With the combine, Escutin said amateur teams are given a chance to represent the country internationally, through the set-up.

"Instead of just gunning for the MPL (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professinal League), they can actually gun for being a national athlete by way of let's say [a] combine, parang yan din ang naging advantage into going into a combine style,” Escutin said.

Sibol will participate in the International Esports Federation World Championships in Bali, Indonesia this December, and the Asian Games, to be held in China on 2023 after being postponed this year.

HOW THE DRAFT COMBINE WILL WORK FOR ML:BB

In the IESF “draft combine” to be held from July 15 to 17, Sibol will select players for its Mobile Legends: Bang Bang pool. The players will be coming from the finalists of the Sibol qualifiers - world champions Blacklist International and amateur squad Maharlika Esports.

• Mobile Legends: Blacklist champs of IESF qualifiers; BON CHAN to coach nat'l team

Escutin said they are eyeing to pick “at least six” people to represent the Philippines in the ML:BB and they are looking to bring seven, if their appeal is granted.

"Medyo maraming considerations eh, budget and what's allowable. But we are definitely sure that we are going to send at least six people," Escutin said.

Sibol's coach for the tournament will be Blacklist's head coach Kristoffer "BON CHAN" Ricaplaza, who will carry the power to recommend players for the pool. But picking players will be heavily data-driven, Escutin said, vowing to be "transparent" with the selection process.

"One of the things we'd be broadcasting about all of it is that you're giving the competing teams a read-out of all the members and how the games will go out so we plan to be very transparent with the selection process," Escutin said.

After the draft combine, Sibol will check the data, and the overall head coach will make a final recommendation, and forward the names to the executives of the Philippine Esports Organization (PESO), which the national esports team falls under.

PESO in turn will make the final acceptance of the recommendation. It has recently done so with the player pool the Philippines will send to the Asian Games next year.

Chemistry and professionalism, among other things, are also considered.

Asked if chemistry could be a factor they are looking to, Escutin answered: "Yes, and one of the things we want to make sure with the combine process is that siyempre number one, they are already skilled. They will not be here if they are not skilled at their role. Number 2 is how well they would interact. Siyempre ang maganda sa games like ML, it's kind of like a language for them so basically if you have a high skill cap, everybody is in the same language as you."

Escutin also allayed concerns on IESF preparations potentially hampering practice time for other tournaments, such as the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League, and the M4 World Championship, where Blacklist International will defend its title.

• Mobile Legends: Blacklist/Onic PH reigns in all-Pinoy ML world title showdown

"The good thing about PESO is that we are in constant coordination with say Moonton and the MPL franchise owners so we don't actually deter them from doing their own initiatives during their practice. So lahat naman yan is taken into consideration," he said.

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