I like to laugh about doping rules in sports – the line between what’s allowed and what isn’t, and that whole Lance Armstrong debacle, it’s all just a bit mess. But eSports should be easier, right? I mean, players can’t do much to improve their physical abilities, but they can take drugs for mental acuity, and apparently that’s exactly what they’re doing.
Here is an interview with “Semphis” where he talks about drug use during ESL:
While hearing him say it is pretty awful, reading the words in transcript is even worse:
Semphis: Yea that’s my main issue with him, it worked for years in 1.6 I used to always give ideas and it worked and then in GO the same thing. The ESL comms were kinda funny in my opinion, I don’t even care, we were all on adderall [laughs] Launders: Really? [laughs] Semphis: I don’t even give a fuck, like its pretty obvious if you listen to the comms, I don’t know people can hate it or whatever.
Launders: Everyone does adderall at ESEA LAN right?
Semphis: Yea
Launders: Just throwing that out there for the fans, that’s how ya get good
Semphis: And you can hear it in the comms right, that’s what was so funny to me like shit comms so hectic like yea, so yea that might clear up some of the questions of why it was like that.
I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that he’s so open about the fact that everyone does Adderall at the LAN, or that the interviewer goes so far as to tell the audience that they should do it too if they want to be better eSports athletes. It just goes to show that this wasn’t a shocking confession, but simply a public statement of what people already knew to be the case.
Now we have to look at the greater implications of this. Does Adderall make players better, and if so, could it be classified as a performance enhancing drug? I understand that eSports is a new thing still and the rules around doping are pretty much nonexistent, but it might be about time that the leagues implement some basic rules. It will be a difficult line to draw considering the amount of caffeine, alcohol and other recreational substances that players choose to put in their bodies, but it might be time for the eSports world to address this issue.
At the very least, sponsors will need to evaluate if they really want to get behind a game and a tournament that is known for illegal drug use.
Like esports?
Check out esports central
Last Updated: July 14, 2015
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:03
Doping in any form is pathetic. If you are not good enough, then tough cookies.
Sies man, flippit
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:09
doping is cheating, but can only be called cheating in the rules if it is addressed. Let us assume the rules have now banned any form of stimulant higher than coffee (not starbucks, look it up – so much caffeine )
So what, send a nurse to each players house at the exact time of the match? Hmm, tricky one to actually enfoce. If at an event thought, pee in cups people.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:18
Anal probes!
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:22
So, you want to encourage or discourage cheating? It takes all sorts you know.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:23
Yes, stop cheating, or you will be probed
sublimetalmsg
July 15, 2015 at 00:58
what if the cheaters cheat because they want it.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 15, 2015 at 08:17
Hah, oh you
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 14, 2015 at 13:18
Fully agree, the only thing cheating does is show cowardice after being discovered for it….
Lord Chaos
July 14, 2015 at 16:03
So you play Deus Ex without ANY augments?
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:07
So, effectively, I am half way there to be a pro CS:go player?
Awesome!
Kensei Seraph - Terran Ghost
July 14, 2015 at 13:09
What is Adderall?
Is it actually illegal?
Are they sure it is actually Adderall and not a placebo or something else entirely?
Does it actually do anything to improve performance?
Should money be wasted trying to answer all these questions?
(I bet the committee they put together to look into this struggles to answer question 1)
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:09
Adderall is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:17
WIKI WIKI
xD
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:18
yeah, real gamers spout crap without checking it first!
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:18
Wish I had it when I was in school.
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:18
ok, point made.
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:19
LOL, sifting through books in the library had it’s charms though
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:18
Yeah, I had to visit the rich kids houses to write things out of encyclopedias for school assignments using those 20 odd books
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:19
You mean the encyclopaedias? My mom bought, paid it off for two years!
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 14, 2015 at 13:22
The scary part about that is that back then our parents thought that it’d be a tool for studying, I honestly can’t remember when last I opened one…hell even paged through one…
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:22
Well, we used them for years and years (bought in about 1986). Very useful, well worth the money. But totally worthless now, I fear.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 14, 2015 at 13:24
Yep, completely useless now…such a shame though, those books were awesome, we had a few with illustrations of mechanics and electronics…I spent way too much time reading those….
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:25
I used spend whole afternoons just reading, pick a volume (C,G or whatever) at random, flip it open and start reading.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 14, 2015 at 13:27
Those were the days… I remember lying on the floor reading them, with a glass of Oros next to me and peanut butter and syrup sandwich on the other side…
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:28
Extremely close, just no syrup.
Now? Do we still drink Oros? Oh no, much too good for that! (of course, I cannot drink Oros – sugar, but still)
HvR
July 14, 2015 at 14:44
They make a sugar free version now.
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 15:27
Ah, so no excuse for me to be elitist then!
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:28
Well, I still do that today, Oros, PBS sammich, only exception is I read about space exploration on my smartphone 😀
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:30
NOW that is a advantage I want my kid to have, so big and so amazing is the world around us. She must learn, and learn as much as possible. More importantly she must know how to find out for herself. (maybe I am pushing a bit now at 20 months, but you get the idea).
Ipad at a young age, a must I think. She must learn, she must have every singly advantage I can give her.
Good on yer.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:32
Yeah, space exploration is my favourite subject to read up about, since there are no silly humans out there with silly earth tendencies. One day, one day I will explore out there.
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:34
I also love that. And history. and mythology, Greek, Roman, Norse, Germanic all my favs.
As a teenager I read all I could find on Astronomy, stars, positions, all good stuff. I knew enough to know that Star Control 2 map was extremely stylised in star positions,while using the correct names!
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:36
This is what I’m all about!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJ3u5AqVEAAsxPO.png
Pluto, as seen today. TODAY!
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:40
I read that, 20Km bigger than previously thought.
For me, Voyager II is the best achievement mankind has in the technology arena.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:42
Aye, especially considering WHEN it was launched
HairyEwok
July 14, 2015 at 16:28
Actually technically speaking thats like pluto 5.5 hours ago but meh XD (light travel and such)
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 14, 2015 at 13:33
Every night before our little boy goes to sleep, he has to read a book, not by me or my wife’s doing, he’s taught himself this…All I can do is hope that he keeps it up…
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:34
Awesome!
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:35
My little one will not let us read to her. She holds the book, points at stuff and talks in her own language, happily carrying on.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 14, 2015 at 13:38
Aaah, that there, is what I live for man, seeing them communicating in their own way, learning and soaking up info…There is nothing that makes me smile more than that…
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:39
well, she is only 20 months old, so perhaps a bit less pressure.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 14, 2015 at 13:41
Don’t worry, from what you’ve said, she likes reading, that love doesn’t fade quickly
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:37
I read Lord of the Rings at age 9, Clan of Cave bear (sex, oh my) same age. All unprompted. At age six, when I first learnt to read, I read all the school readers up till Std 2 (grade 4) by tthe end of the first year. All unprompted. I wanted to know everything, I saw books as my ticket. Keep up with gentle prodding, but think carefully about forcing a direction.
When my family tried to prompt me, read Dickens and so forth, it went badly. I did not like it, but they liked it that I was reading the classics
sublimetalmsg
July 15, 2015 at 01:03
I taught my self to pee. But not in the toilet.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 14, 2015 at 13:31
This^
Dear Admiral sir, having shed the weight of the books, is what I also enjoy
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:33
A PBS sammich so heavy that it can crush a skull if dropped from 5m, a 750ml glass of Oros, strong like my coffee, and a glorious article on FlipBoard and I’m all set
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:23
Ah, so you were one of THOSE kids
😛
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:24
Yeah, but my mom sacrificed for stuff like that, Dad passed away early 80’s, mother worked as bookkeeper, so getting books like that was a big deal financially. She (female parental unit) did well to ensure us kiddies had all the things we needed to be well educated.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:25
Your mom is a true hero
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:27
Sigh. Please do not tell her that! Guilt trips are bad enough as it is!
Dammit.
But yes, I have a very well rounded education, classic (Greek and Roman), but no varsity degree, oops. But I think I got where am I now largely by having that good solid grounding.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:28
Aye, good on ya!
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 14, 2015 at 13:25
We had Collier’s Encyclopedias – you could beat someone to death with a single volume.
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:31
Indeed. They were the pricier ones, we had Grolier, bug bue books
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 14:01
after reading through one of those, i could beat someone to death with alot less.
HvR
July 14, 2015 at 14:43
I have 3 complete sets in the garage; we had the first child in the new generation in our families. So everybody thought giving their 20+ volume 1980’s outdated encyclopedias was a wonderful idea.
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 15:26
well, could still be very instructional.
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:19
Same here and some even had Encyclopedia CDs we could use on PC
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 13:54
hand written bibliographies citing the 4 books you actually used out of the 20.
compared to typed bibliographies of ctrl+c & ctrl+v x256 links
#neverforget
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:55
xD
Lord Chaos
July 14, 2015 at 16:04
Glad you found the dictionary so helpful. 😛
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 16:06
XD Wikipedia actually
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:11
It treats ADHD and is effectively a few steps away from cocaine or somesuch. It is not such a “picker upper” as all that though, at least for me in legal doses. Perhaps higher dosages causes a small boost in reflex speed or something.
BUT it would provide the brain with more focus. So it would certainly help.
*Edit* too much would certainly slow you down., as in too fast, making mistakes
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 13:50
helps you focus for longer. attention span etc.
for games like cs:go and CoD, which do like 3 sets of 23 games per match, its tough, when you get 3 hours into a comp series you start taking shortcuts and making mistakes, taking an adderall/ritalin at the start of the second round seems like pretty standard practise.
Her Highness the Hipster
July 14, 2015 at 13:51
except if you don’t have ADD and don’t have a prescription, it’s illegal.
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 13:53
ofcourse, illegal is illegal.
but if its done legally, it should not be restricted.
even if you’re not ADD/ADHD, you can still get prescriptions for low dosages/slow release, just to help you focus.
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 14:27
I used to smoke and that would keep you going strong as well. Really, smoking helped me focus, kept me going long past the hour I should have slept.
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 13:30
Heavy duty Ritalin.
I used to use Ritalin for exams and stuff, all the way from primary school into college.
calms down hyper people and generally helps you focus.
Brady miaau
July 14, 2015 at 13:32
And it does it so well. Never once used it at school or anything. Wonder now that difference that would have made then!
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 13:38
could never tell the difference in myself, but i could always tell when the other guys didnt take their ritalin for the day.
its like being drunk, 6 beers in and you dont feel a thing. standing on the tabletop, screaming for more shots is totally natural.
TiMsTeR1033
July 14, 2015 at 13:34
Can turn some people into zombies though, one of the terrible downsides of the drug.
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 13:39
thats why its prescription based.
GPs decide your dosage and pil strength for you.
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:12
New improved Adderall for the CS player on the GO
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 14, 2015 at 13:17
HAHAHA!!!
Deceased
July 14, 2015 at 13:18
You didn’t just GO there did you? O.O
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:18
XD
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 14, 2015 at 13:15
If esport wants to be taken seriously, as the sport it claims to be, it needs to take this shit seriously. If only for the health of the players.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
July 14, 2015 at 13:16
I would imagine that if you were a professional player, you’d want to rely on fast reflexes to have an advantage, but doing so with drugs… Not so cool man…
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 13:19
Pah, a true gamer craves not these things
Deceased
July 14, 2015 at 13:20
MEH, not really phased by this 😐
Now, if I could get a spectral dagger, maybe I would be XD
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:24
Lesson here? Don’t do drugs. Keep on the straight and narrow lane………..play DOTA
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 13:47
dota is druuuuuugs
more teens have dropped out of college because of dota, than drugs.
probably a fact.
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:48
O_o that would be an interesting case study
Dawid Eduard Roestorf
July 14, 2015 at 13:37
While at school and at varsity I was big into athletics. Went to the SA championships each year etc. And we got tested for caffeine among other things.
Personally, I feel that doping is wrong regardless of who does it. If everybody jumps off a bridge type scenario. They should start banning these substances. Period
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 13:42
i used to take Ritalin etc during exams, does that count as cheating?
aderall is prescription based, iirc i was upped to it for my matric finals, or whatever the local generic of it is.
using it for “doping” is obviously not cool, but thinking back to what we do and who we are, it makes sense.
kids playing games all day, with no outlet for their energy, most pro gamers will be massively ADD, for the older gamers, it would have been a thing for years and stuff like adderall is often necessary.
if anything, they should include light generics with every xbox one sold to anyone under the age of 18. no more 14 year olds screaming on VOIP. xbox branded Ritalin / adderall sounds legit(to be taken with a pinch of salt)
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 14, 2015 at 13:44
Ban coffee and players will get violent!
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:47
Ban coffee and I’ll CUT you! Oh my, I think I have a problem
*Puts the kettle on
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 14, 2015 at 13:47
I approve!
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 14, 2015 at 13:48
Why was the kettle off? Filthy casual.
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:50
Don’t worry, I put the kettle on my AMD card. But now the pot is melting!
Ottokie
July 14, 2015 at 13:51
? Winner
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 14, 2015 at 13:51
TURN YOUR KETTLE OFF!!
2 Things happen here.
1: You help increase load shedding and
2: The element gains minerals faster making the coffee taste horrible.
Also why are you using a kettle you cheap instant coffee casual!
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:52
Because George Clooney stole my Nespresso
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 14, 2015 at 13:53
Hate that add with so much passion!
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:55
Are the ads supposed to be funny? Or Clever? It feels like something French people might find amusing
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 14, 2015 at 13:56
This.
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 13:56
gas hob + percolator.
coffee master race.
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:56
We have a percolator. But we ran out of coffee beans and are resorting to Jakobs for now.
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 14, 2015 at 13:57
I cried a little inside.
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:59
You seed see what the lower echelons drink. And they have to use styrofoam cups XD
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 14, 2015 at 14:01
seed=should?
Or am I going crazy.
Also print screen just in case. 😛
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 14:03
*should see
XD XD XD
Dutch Matrix
July 14, 2015 at 14:05
I saw the seed too. Hammer’s seed. My mind’s eye is committing suicide now…
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 14:06
he sowed the seed.
Dutch Matrix
July 14, 2015 at 14:08
In their cups!!!! And he called it condensed milk!
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 14:05
xD seeeeeeed
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 14:04
At least it is not ricoffee or something similarly vile
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 14:05
Yeah, no normal person can say that that’s coffee
Dutch Matrix
July 14, 2015 at 14:06
I’m a normal person and I call Ricoffee coffee. So screw you all! Now line up and bend over! Papa Dutch is here!
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 14:44
But you’re not normal person
Dutch Matrix
July 14, 2015 at 14:49
At least I can speak properly.
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 15:21
So did Jeffrey Dahmer O_o
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 14:06
ricoffee isnt coffee.
its brown flavoured water.
yes, brown flavoured.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 14:08
Agreed, I refuse to soil my body with that
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 14:15
funnilly enough though, the best cup of coffee i ever had, was with 3 day old reused Ricoffee coffee tea bags, on the orange river.
Admiral Chief's Adventure
July 14, 2015 at 14:55
Sound like ‘daar was drank betrokke’
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 14, 2015 at 13:53
Filter coffee travel mug, for the professional on the go!
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 14, 2015 at 13:56
I’m Commander Shepard and this is my faveroute reply in the Citadel.
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:57
But…. that’s just one cup?
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
July 14, 2015 at 13:58
2 Coffee Beans one cup.
Next level Caffeine porn!
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:58
Caffeine porn!!!
*Hears someone tampering with pandoras box
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 14, 2015 at 13:58
It’s a very big cup that can handle a lot of filter coffee, you definitely don’t want more than one.
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:59
BAH! Who’s the peasant now!
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 14, 2015 at 13:59
Still you, draadsitter 😀 *run*
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 14:00
XD
Ottokie
July 14, 2015 at 13:45
So after reading Wikipedia I realized 2 things,(1) this Adderall actually breaks down muscle tissue as a side effect even if the positive of it is enhanced focus, and (2) Thank you Wikipedia for passing Varsity for me.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 14, 2015 at 13:50
You know what the worst thing about that header is? The AMD sponsor logo on that despicable person’s shirt.
Hammersteyn
July 14, 2015 at 13:51
At least he uses a HP laptop XD
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 13:55
AMD supports doping
HL3 confirmed?
Asian Mart
July 14, 2015 at 14:14
Everything is very
open and very clear explanation of issues. was truly information. Your
website is very useful. Thanks for sharing.
Matthew Holliday
July 14, 2015 at 14:17
it truly was information.
Nikola
July 14, 2015 at 14:47
This is ridiculous hahahah! doping in gaming really this whole thing is just hahahaha…
CypherGate
July 14, 2015 at 15:05
They are officially pathetic. Thinking that they so good when taking such things that can enhance they performance. If you cant play well then practice. Gees… such losers.
Gr8_Balls_o_KFM_Fire
July 14, 2015 at 19:42
I think I lost some brain cells reading that interview. Does this guy have an IQ?