‘Probably 20 Overwatch Pros Are Using Performance-Enhancing ADHD Drugs’
Timo “Taimou” Kettunen, a Finnish professional Overwatch player with team Dallas Fuel, said during a Twitch stream Monday that about 20 professional Overwatch players are likely to use the ADD drug Adderall to boost their performance.
He said that if Blizzard banned the use of the drug by e-athletes in the Overwatch League, those 20 players would be in quite a bit of trouble. Website Motherboard has asked him and Blizzard for a response, but neither the player nor the game company has responded. It’s not clear if the Finnish player means that Adderall or stimulants in general is a widespread phenomenon in the Overwatch League.
Nate Nancer, a vice president of the Overwatch League, told Shacknews in February that no drug testing is being done. He said he has yet to see any scientific studies showing a link between higher performance in games and the use of certain substances or drugs. Nancer said he would keep an eye on developments. He also pointed out that Adderall is not illegal in the United States and that there is no data available on this substance that would indicate that players get better at Overwatch through its use.
Vice President Ulrich Schulze of the Electronic Sports League, a major global organizer of esports events, said on Twitter Monday in response that e-athletes have been tested for the use of amphetamines and other substances at major ESL events since 2015. According to him, not a single e-athlete has tested positive. The ESL began testing e-athletes in 2015, after CS:GO player Cory “Semphis” Friesen revealed that he and his team were all using Adderall. He pointed to the long playing sessions during tournaments and training, and claimed that this drug helps to stay alert.
Adderall, like the well-known Ritalin, is a drug that is often used by people with ADHD, but is also used by people who need to concentrate for long periods. Chemically, Adderall is similar to amphetamine and methamphetamine; Adderall is considered a weaker version of methamphetamine. The stimulating effect and the side effects are therefore comparable.