Valve Removes Tournament's Major Status Because It Will Require Drug Testing

DooKey

DooKey

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Valve has decided to pull Major status from a Dota 2 tournament because it requires drug testing for the competitors. As a result of this decision many of the teams are withdrawing because the tournament is without any real value if it doesn't have Major status. This is an interesting stand for Valve to take and I'd like to know more about their thoughts behind this decision. I'm not sure why this is a stumbling block for Valve since many sports drug test.

Developer Valve confirmed to Compete that it was rescinding major status due to government policies requiring drug testing: “Players were going to be subjected to drug testing and screening as part of a government policy in order to enter the country for that event,” said a spokesperson. “Given the local climate, we felt it best to pull back our involvement.”
 
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aeliusg said:
The tourney takes place in the Philippines. If you haven't heard, they've taken a hard line on drugs over there. Ergo Valve wants no part and is effectively killing the tourney (for a shit game anyway).
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Good points. Thanks for the information.
 
Dumb question: If this is government policy, what else can happen if you fail a drug test other than lose the ability to play in the sport in question? Are there legal consequences?
 
Sonicks said:
Dumb question: If this is government policy, what else can happen if you fail a drug test other than lose the ability to play in the sport in question? Are there legal consequences?
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If you fail a test in a country with zero tolerance?

Getting deported is the most likely result, which would mean you wouldn't be participating in the tournament you went there for. Worst case would be getting stuck serving jail/prison time in the country where you failed the test and then getting deported afterwards. If you're dumb enough to actually be carrying in a country with zero tolerance and it's enough to them to look like you're a dealer it can come with a death sentence(I don't think the Philippines have gone this far, but Singapore isn't shy about advertising that).
 
sfsuphysics said:
guess they don't want players using Ritalin and other "focus enhancing" drugs as a competitive advantage?
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The drugs scheduled to be tested for the upcoming DOTA tournament were marijuana and crystal meth. (Source: https://www.cinemablend.com/games/1...ficial-status-due-to-drug-testing-requirement )

And I don't know anything about what gamers take, but it's a slippery slope to include prescription drugs, is it not? Some people actually need them to function. And if one goes that route, then why not exclude energy drinks? Oh wait, major sponsors.. ;)
 
Many people don't realize but in some countries even having cannabis in your bloodstream/detectable (lasts up to two months and is the main thing tests ever catch), is grounds for being convicted for possession. In some countries that's not far off death.

As much as Duerte is trying to fix his country, I think this is a wise decision for valve, as it could potentially be used in a political way against competitors and valve.
 
Kinda dumb to enforce it to people that might of used before arriving to the country. I agree drag them out into the street and beat them if they try to sneak it in. I honestly don't have a problem even here putting a bullet in drug dealers heads here in the states. If found guilty. Drug users you help them and give them a chance to clean up and if they won't also bullet in the head. Save tax payers a shit load of money. These people are worthless drags on socialites. I am not talking about crap like weed but major life destroying drugs.
 
I'm happy to see Valve pull the "Major" labeling from the tournament. Valve probably (correctly) suspects that many of the most popular players smoke pot and would be flagged and unable to participate. They can avoid highly negative publicity about a game that is largely played and followed by teens. Imagine a story making the rounds on Foxnews or MSNBC about "A popular competitive video game saw more than a dozen of it's players suspended from competition after testing positive for marijuana use..." and then parents overreacting and banner their kids from playing.

I wish this were Valve saying, "Recreational drug use, like recreational or social drinking, is a separate issue from competitive play and we believe it has no standing on a person's ability or worthiness to participate in our competition" but I doubt they care. The hypocrisy of the Philippines condoning drug consumption in the form of alcohol but not marijuana is awful. Not that we're any better stateside.
 
lollerwaffle said:
And I don't know anything about what gamers take, but it's a slippery slope to include prescription drugs, is it not? Some people actually need them to function. And if one goes that route, then why not exclude energy drinks? Oh wait, major sponsors.. ;)
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Weed is legal in a few US states and several countries, so it's not even a Prescription drug issue. It's an interesting stance, Obviously they feel the loss of the tournament is acceptable to keep the reefer heads out versus the possible tourist dollars that could be had.
 
Merc1138 said:
If you fail a test in a country with zero tolerance?

Getting deported is the most likely result.
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Singapore killed a man for smuggling heroin back in the WCG days.
 
Simple solution, hold the tournament elsewhere if you don't like the policies in a particular location. I don't know that I'd want to send teams anywhere that could be dangerous (at a life-threatening level) in the first place. Why not have the tournament in Japan, South Korea, French Polynesia, or other more pleasant places? (I don't think French Polynesia is known for gaming, but I'd be all for going there. :D )
 
vegeta535 said:
Kinda dumb to enforce it to people that might of used before arriving to the country. I agree drag them out into the street and beat them if they try to sneak it in. I honestly don't have a problem even here putting a bullet in drug dealers heads here in the states. If found guilty. Drug users you help them and give them a chance to clean up and if they won't also bullet in the head. Save tax payers a shit load of money. These people are worthless drags on socialites. I am not talking about crap like weed but major life destroying drugs.
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You think so huh? A guy sneaks a joint in and you think he should be killed in the street? Good thing you're not in charge of anything.
 
J3RK said:
Simple solution, hold the tournament elsewhere if you don't like the policies in a particular location. I don't know that I'd want to send teams anywhere that could be dangerous (at a life-threatening level) in the first place. Why not have the tournament in Japan, South Korea, French Polynesia, or other more pleasant places? (I don't think French Polynesia is known for gaming, but I'd be all for going there. :D )
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Hoping for this?
0MjHLbB.jpg


She looks like she's from the Americas but what the hell, she's gorgeous
 
d8lock said:
You think so huh? A guy sneaks a joint in and you think he should be killed in the street? Good thing you're not in charge of anything.
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I said beat not killed. Then deport them. You should have some knowledge of the country you going to and find out what is not acceptable there. You deserve to get a beating for being dumb enough to do it.
 
vegeta535 said:
I said beat not killed. Then deport them. You should have some knowledge of the country you going to and find out what is not acceptable there. You deserve to get a beating for being dumb enough to do it.
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You deserve a beating for posting stupid things.
 
The headlines could be worse then "Gamers test positive for drugs". There are always a few idiots that think the rules in their country apply everywhere. The headlines could easily read "Several Gamers arrested for drug possession after arriving for tournament carrying Pot/Oxy/(drug of choice). If found guilty, they face public execution." Not exactly the publicity Valve wants.
 
So if the Philippines is so hard core on drug use, did they close their consulates in LA and San Francisco? Nope, probably now their #1 state department go to job. :ROFLMAO:
 
So are they all doping on amphetamines to supercharge their reactions/reduce fatigue, or are they just dopeheads who can't stay off the weed long enough to pass a test?
 
Nallexi said:
So are they all doping on amphetamines to supercharge their reactions/reduce fatigue, or are they just dopeheads who can't stay off the weed long enough to pass a test?
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Both.... 30 days is a looooong time for weed...

Meth on the other hand is out of your bloodstream in days.. If you can't stay clean for that long, you are USING meth.. Not just using it for a competitive edge.
 
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There are ways to stop the drug problem, but the UN and ACLU would become exasperated.
 
nightanole said:
Ah Reagan drug wars. I remember hearing that dealers would carry a gun, because shooting the cop (not killing them) had a more lenient sentence then getting popped for drugs...
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Law of unintended consequences, like the kid that tried to stab me a few years ago. He was using a screwdriver rather than a knife because the penalties were massively lower both for carrying it and using it. This was the UK but with a knife they had tons of statutes they could use because they were specifically legislated , with a screwdriver it was only aggravated assault because he couldn’t land anything other than his head on the sidewalk. He needed to break skin for it to count, where it would have been actual bodily harm, whereas a knife assault is always considered a deadly weapon. One of the downsides of having too many laws and sentencing guidelines that have been drafted for political reasons rather than broad intent and judicial prudence like it’s supposed to be.

Bit OT anyway :)
 
Nallexi said:
So are they all doping on amphetamines to supercharge their reactions/reduce fatigue, or are they just dopeheads who can't stay off the weed long enough to pass a test?
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It's not even necessarily a concern about people failing, it could just be Valve disagrees with the policy. Drug tests are an invasion of privacy and it is extremely questionable the utility of one for a video game event. Thus Valve may wish to take a stand about it and say "If you require this, we won't sponsor it."
 
Sycraft said:
It's not even necessarily a concern about people failing, it could just be Valve disagrees with the policy. Drug tests are an invasion of privacy and it is extremely questionable the utility of one for a video game event. Thus Valve may wish to take a stand about it and say "If you require this, we won't sponsor it."
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Nope, its literally in the release 'given the local climate...' that climate being one of murdering drug users and dealers pretty much onsite.
 
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