The AESF is lobbying organisers of the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam to include esports ©AESF

The Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) is lobbying organisers of the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam to include esports at next year's event.

Esports featured as a full medal sport at the 2019 edition of the Games in the Philippines but was not among the 36 disciplines announced by Hanoi 2021 earlier this month.

The programme for the Games in Vietnam has not yet been confirmed and the Southeast Asian Games Federation is due to hold a meeting tomorrow to discuss the event.

The AESF has asked countries in the region to send appeals to the SEAGF prior to the meeting as part of its lobbying effort.

Esports was a full medal event at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines ©Getty Images
Esports was a full medal event at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines ©Getty Images

"We found out the news that Vietnam has not included esports as one of the official games, and currently it is in a process where the participating countries can send an appeal to the host country," AESF director Sebastian Lau wrote in a letter to the National Electronic Sports Federation of the Philippines (NESFP), according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

NESFP President Ramon Suzara said he was hopeful the AESF's bid for esports' inclusion at the 2021 Southeast Asian Games would be successful.

"This lobby from the AESF is a welcome development for esports," Suzara said. 

"All Southeast Asian Games countries have already adopted esports and they would want the sport to be played in Vietnam next year."