ESLAnna also expanded on the method of drug testing that ESL will be using, saying that while they initially announced they would be working with skin tests, “upon further investigation and consultation with the authorities, we came to the conclusion that saliva tests are a better fit”.
Advertisement
In any case, e-sports pros should be glad drug testing wasn’t in effect in 2003, when caffeine was still listed as a banned stimulant on WADA’s list (and there are some in the organization that want it banned once more). The identity of players proven to have taken drugs will also not be disclosed to ensure their privacy.
As such, ESL says in its announcement that “recreational use of [marijuana] outside (before) the event days will not be punished”. The policy will prohibit marijuana during tournaments hosted by the ESL, which works with all sorts of big games including StarCraft II and Halo. “Using it during the tournament – from the start of the first day until the end of the last day of competition – is strictly prohibited”.
Valve’s Defence of the Ancients (DOTA) 2 tournament in February 2015 had over one million concurrent players at its daily peak.
Because of that scandal, the ESL have now announced exactly how they’ll be policing drugs at their tournaments.
ESL One Cologne will only see randomised tests, but the organisation said it may perform a larger number of tests at a later stage. This list is based on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of ban substances, which like we said is pretty much along the same lines of substances banned in physical sporting events. It’ll let players know if it does.
For legitimate medications like Adderall, players will need to submit proof of a prescription “no later than the first match is scheduled to start“.
On to punishments. Anyone who tests positive is subject to a range of punishments that includes prize money and tournament points being deducted, disqualification and up to a two-year ban from ESL events.
All eyes turn to ESL One Cologne.
Advertisement
Naturally this is new ground for an eSports league and the ESL will likely change or adjust its policies in the interest of fairness, but it looks like drug testing is here to stay.
