If you are the kind of gamer who enjoys smoking a joint while playing Counter-Strike or Halo, then you will no longer be able to compete in tournaments for this professional gaming league.
The Electronic Sports League revealed details about its drug-testing policies, which include a ban on using marijuana during the competition.
The ESL detailed its new drug policy on Reddit on Wednesday, a policy which strictly prohibits the use of marijuana.
However, gamers are free to light up and smoke as much weed as they please before and after the tournament—as long as it's not during during the tournament days.
"This means that recreational use of it outside (before) the event days will not be punished," ESL writes. "Using it during the tournament—from the start of the first day until the end of the last day of competition—is strictly prohibited."
To set the new drug policy, the ESL announced that it teamed up with the anti-doping organizations National Anti-Doping Agentur (NADA) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to make sure that gamers play fair during the tournaments. Along with the use of marijuana, other substances prohibited in-competition include various narcotics, stimulants and amphetamines including the ADHD drug Adderall. The list also includes steroids and hormone and metabolic modulators as well.
The new policy was created after a professional Counter-Strike player Kory "Semphis" Friesen reported that he and his other teammates allegedly abused Adderall during the ESL One Katowice tournament in Poland.
While some professional gamers may actually be prescribed some of the drugs such as Adderall, they will be able to still compete if they provide a doctor's note that proves they need the prescription. These competitors must disclose this information to the ESL as soon as possible, but no later than before the first match.
Those competing in professional tournaments will now be randomly tested for marijuana and the other prohibited drugs via saliva tests. The tests will be performed at the discretion of the ESL at any time during the tournament. However, as of now, only ESL One Cologne competitors will be subjected to these randomized tests.
"We don't want to exclude the possibility of performing a larger number of tests among all / majority of players at a later stage," the ESL added. "Should the testing policy and method change, we will inform the players accordingly."
Any gamer who is testing positive will face punishments that range from losing prize money or tournament points, disqualification from the tournament, or up to a two-year ban from ESL events.
Via: Kotaku
Photo: ESL | Facebook
