Ethics in Esport Doping

 

In recent years the esports culture has exploded in part due to the pandemic. This market continues to grow as more and more people play video games. Whether you considered competitive video games as a sport or not it faces many similar issues as those with physical activity. There are hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars on the line in the form of championships and sponsorship.  Those who are competing like in any professional sport use any and all opportunities to gain an edge over their opponents. This could come in the form of cheat codes, mods, faster computer inputs, and performance-enhancing drugs (PED).

 These esports events have had reported issues with PED’s in some of the biggest tournaments. Some common PEDs that are used by many in the community include some items that you can find at nearly any grocery store including energy drinks for caffeine. Some even use prescription medications such as Adderall to enhance their performance. The use of Adderall increases the Sympathetic nervous system and could help players interpret information faster.  The use of these PED allows for these participants to practice for a longer duration without fatigue than the competition. This creates an unfair advantage for those who do not have access or a medical need for prescription drugs such as Adderall. At the moment there are few regulations on what can and cannot be taken to aid in the tournaments.

What ought esports to do going forward? esports is going to have to answer some major ethical questions for it to continue to grow. With so much at stake justice would say each participant should have a level playing field but where do they draw the line? Should over-the-counter drugs be allowed and what about prescription? They will really have to consider nonmaleficence with the youth that watch these tournaments and try to imitate the players they see. When they see the piles of crushed energy drinks and the logos on player's shirts they are sure to want to consume these drinks themselves. Kids drinking large amounts of caffeine can become fatal. No one needs a caffeinated kid “flossing” all over the place. Esports should act on the beneficence of the players to try and prevent some unhealthy habits from forming as well as creating a fair playing field. These are all tough questions and I am unsure if there is a simple answer.

 

Ryan P. Toomey. UPHOLDING THE INTEGRITY OF ESPORTS TO SUCCESSFULLY AND SAFELY LEGITIMIZE ESPORTS WAGERING.Gaming Law Review.Feb 2019.12-18.