I would like to highlight and thank the open-mindedness and boldness of the HO in granting a team to Quebec. This is not the first time we've had this discussion, and I am pleased to see that the bid — from a francophile who doesn't reside in the province — was accepted. To those who don't understand the excitement around this bid, it's important to remember the significant number of community members from this province. Having a team with which they can identify in this tournament can only be beneficial.

For the most part, I see only positives in this nomination. We are not adding another small federation that will struggle to compete for recruits. We're moving past the Russian Federation saga in a politically challenging environment. We're bringing together passionate people (who for some share a distinct language in this virtual community). We're also slightly splitting the player pool from Canada, one of the largest federations - although I recognize there is an impact for that team.

For those who consider it unrealistic for an international federation to accept a team that is not a real country... we can have a long discussion about the place of Scotland in FIFA or other international sports federations.

I must admit I am surprised (and saddened) by the anti-Quebec sentiment shown here.