ESL to begin randomised drug testing at ‘CS:GO’ tournament in Germany

As for marijuana use, ESL says it will only be banned during competitions; it doesn’t care about use that takes place before and after a competition starts/completes.

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). At first the league will use randomised testing but it has said it won’t rule out testing all players in the future. This means that recreational use of it outside (before) the event days will not be punished. The ESL writes players “have to disclose this to us as soon as possible, but no later than the first match is scheduled to start“.

The decision to test gamers for performance enhancing drugs including marijuana comes after one competitor admitted using Adderall to stay awake during a high stakes tournament. It’ll still be fine for pro players to light up bowls during their free time-they just can’t do it during tournament days.

The ESL will check contestants at random using saliva tests, making exceptions for certain prescription medications.

Valve’s Defence of the Ancients (DOTA) 2 tournament in February 2015 had over one million concurrent players at its daily peak.

The Reddit post also states that the use of marijuana will be prohibited during the tournament. It’ll let players know if it does. Weed, for example, cannot be consumed “from the start of the first day until the end of the last day of competition” but is acceptable when you’re not competing while coke, steroids and focus-enhancers like 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. Testing positive has a variety of punishments, including disqualification from the event, a maximum two-year-ban from the ESL, and even a forfeiture of prize money. The list of prohibited substances was established by the World Anti-Doping Agency and includes anabolic steroids, HGH, cocaine and cannabis.

“We will look at each case separately and once again ensure player’s full privacy”. Will eSports’ first drug test initiative pay off?