The ESL’s Anna Rozwandowicz took to the CS:GO sub-reddit to outline the policy, which she called a small but “meaningful step forward for professional gamers across all games, ESL as an event organizer, and the esports industry as a whole”.
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The event that spurred the ESL’s recent drug policy changes was an interview last month with professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player Kory “Semphis” Friesen, who admitted that he and his entire team had been using the prescription stimulant Adderall during tournaments.
The ESL will check contestants at random using saliva tests, making exceptions for certain prescription medications. There is a list of prohibited substances which was defined by WADA and NADA use. Concerns about the invasiveness of drug tests have been voiced, and ESL says it took that into consideration when deciding what kind of tests to use, as well as things like accuracy and speed of testing.
This includes anabolic steroids, HGH, cocaine, cannabis, and more.
ESL plans to test at its own discretion in a designated testing area, at any point during a tournament. Naturally, player’s privacy comes first.
The widely reported relaxing effects of a marijuana high might seem like the opposite of what is needed for a high-octane twitch gaming tournament, but there are anecdotal reports of widespread marijuana use at some events. 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. Those who smoke outside of the tournament will not be punished.
While the policies were originally created to tackle performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), but the organization will also be testing players for marijuana use, but only for the length of the tournament. However “harder” substances such as coke, steroids, or focus-enhancers such as Adderall are banned at all times. These players have to provide proof, such as a letter from a physician, that they need this specific medication.
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Punishments for players determined to be using drugs during a tournament range from prize money or point deductions to disqualifications and suspension.
