OREANDA-NEWS  Dmitry Smith, President of the Russian Computer Sports Federation, told RIA Novosti that it was untimely to invest a lot of money in esports, and noted that Russia would be able to maintain its leading position without it.

The International Sports Forum "Russia - a sporting power" is being held in Samara from November 5-7.

"For our part, we are working hard, holding a large number of international competitions. We have already hosted the BRICS championships and international student competitions, and on behalf of President Vladimir Putin, we are preparing competitions in the Far East. That is why Russia has always been and remains a leader. At the same time, it seems to me that it is not the right time to invest very large amounts of money in the development of esports. I believe that we will keep our leadership positions as it is," Smith said on the sidelines of the forum.

"There is interest in Russian esports everywhere. Starting with the fact that Russian athletes are happy to be accepted into top clubs all over the world, ending with the fact that people come to Russia for competitions with pleasure. Our tournaments have never had large prize pools, and yet, most countries come to us. These are Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America," the official added.