In Indiana and the rest of the country, eSports is becoming a booming segment in the entertainment and sports worlds. However, several issues hound eSports such as allegations of doping.
Doping is a huge issue in other professional sports because it is considered unfair for an athlete to utilize chemical substances to improve their physical performance. The World Anti-Doping Agency regulates the use of performance‐enhancing drugs (PEDs) by athletes, and many professional leagues also maintain strict anti-PED policies.
Doping in eSports
In general, eSports players don’t need to take substances to enhance their size and power, but that isn’t the only conceivable benefit of a PED. PEDs are available to boost the brain, improve reaction times, enhance focus and keep players wide awake. Talks on doping have led several eSports leagues to conduct random drug testing.
Potential problems with doping in eSports
An eSports player caught doping may face several consequences for taking a PED. These include the following:
- Organizational penalties: Leagues can suspend or ban a player for doping and impose a collective punishment on the player’s team. Tournaments can disqualify them and may take away their titles.
- Criminal punishments: Having illegal drugs in their system worsens things as Indiana prohibits the possession of illegal drugs. Depending on the type and weight of the drug, the penalty can be a misdemeanor or a felony.
- Reputational damage: Doping mars the player’s reputation in the sporting world and news media. It also impacts their relationships with teammates, sponsors, fans, families and loved ones.
- Breach of contract: A doping offense violates a player contract’s moral clause that protects the credibility of a team, league or sponsor.
Indiana law requires the party seeking a breach of contract claim to show a valid contract. They must prove that the player committed a breach with a failed drug test result. Then, they should have evidence of their damages due to the breach.
The right to defend yourself and countersue
Doping allegations can change the course of an athlete’s career and cause irreversible damage. Experienced legal support can assist players in defending their side. And they may choose to clear their name by countersuing for distress, lost opportunities and a ruined reputation.
