Drugs in Cyber Games
By Bala Shah

The World Cyber Games is one of the most popular video game tournament and cultural festival.  Started in 2000, its aim is to “promote global harmony through e-sports”.   Last year, more than 2 million contestants from 70 countries participated in the World Championship in Seattle, USA.  Last year, the total prize money in India was Rs. 15 Lakh and the 10 Indian finalists got an all expense trip to represent our country in USA.  Prizes worth $300,000 were given at Seattle.

The Indian franchise of World Cyber Games is held by local gaming company Indiagames who selects Indian champions based on their skills in playing games like Need for Speed, Warcroft,  FIFA and Counter Strike. Indiagames had 300 employees and its investors include Adobe and Cisco.

This year the World Cyber Games will be held in Germany.  Like last year,  local company Indiagames will select the best Indian video game players to represent us

But do our Indian champions the proverbial Ram, Shyam, Babu and Meena (most are young men) have a disadvantage while playing some other countries in the World Cyber Games?  Apparently, a few countries are publicly admitting of their players taking drugs and the lack of any doping tests during the Cyber Games.

The Australian Director of the World Cyber Games in Australia is very candid in a recent public interview where he says that few players are stoned out of their minds when they come to play in the local tournament and international championships. And that nobody has the budget for doping tests.

The interview detailing the state of drugs in the World Cyber Games makes for interesting reading.

The question is what advantage do drugs give a gamer from America, Australia and Europe over a player from India whose only addiction would be a Wills cigarette and pan after dinner?

Should more be done to ensure a level playing field?