Esports Integrity Commission
{{Short description|Committee to investigate cheating in esports}}
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| name = Esports Integrity Commission
| logo = Esic-Black.png
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| logo_alt = ESIC Logo
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| former_name = Esports Integrity Coalition
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| founded = 2016
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- Shrewsbury, England
- Parramatta, Australia
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| key_people = Ian Smith (Commissioner)
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| services = Preventing corruption in esports.
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The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), formerly the Esports Integrity Coalition, is a non-profit members' association established in 2016 to promote and facilitate competitive integrity in esports. Notable for investigating the coaching bug scandal in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the organization has received criticisms for a lack of resources and game knowledge.
History
The organization was founded by Ian Smith as the "Esports Integrity Coalition" in 2016 before rebranding in 2019.{{cite web|author=Richard Lewis|title=Richard Lewis at the ESIC, "Money flooding into sports has, naturally, brought with it corruption at all levels"|url=https://www.vpesports.com/more-esports/richard-lewis-at-the-esic-money-flooding-into-sports-has-naturally-brought-with-it-corruption-at-all-levels|access-date=11 February 2021|website=VPEsports|language=en|archive-date=9 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109040530/https://www.vpesports.com/more-esports/richard-lewis-at-the-esic-money-flooding-into-sports-has-naturally-brought-with-it-corruption-at-all-levels|url-status=live}}{{cite web|author=Adam Fitch|title=Esports Integrity Coalition rebrands to Esports Integrity Commission - ESIC|url=https://esportsinsider.com/2019/09/esports-integrity-commission-rebrand/|website=Esports Insider|access-date=11 February 2021|date=17 September 2019|archive-date=29 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029173536/https://esportsinsider.com/2019/09/esports-integrity-commission-rebrand/|url-status=live}} Smith had been an attorney working in sports regulation law before he was brought into the Global Offensive scene to investigate skin gambling. His recognition of the lack of regulatory bodies in the scene led to the founding of ESIC.
Services
The commission works to investigate and prevent all forms of match fixing, cheating,{{Cite web|url=https://esic.gg/about/|title=Who We Are – ESIC|website=esic.gg|access-date=14 October 2020|archive-date=2 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200902230003/https://esic.gg/about/|url-status=live}} and use of doping,{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/does-esic-have-the-teeth-to-enforce-esports-integrity/|title=Does ESIC have the teeth to enforce esports integrity?|author=Chris Higgins|date=7 July 2016|via=PC Gamer|access-date=7 May 2022|archive-date=18 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518042705/https://www.pcgamer.com/does-esic-have-the-teeth-to-enforce-esports-integrity/|url-status=live}} most recently investigating the coaching bug in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-54340022|title=CS:GO coaches banned from major esports series|date=29 September 2020|website=BBC|access-date=14 October 2020|archive-date=5 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005014849/https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-54340022|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-csgo-coach-suspensions-idUSFLMxkCPp|title=Spectator bug use nets 37 CS:GO coach suspensions|date=29 September 2020|website=Field Level Media|via=Reuters|access-date=30 December 2020|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203227/https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-csgo-coach-suspensions-idUSFLMxkCPp|url-status=live}} The commission only employs five full-time workers and works by partnering with several betting websites and tournament organizers. The results of investigations are passed on to the organizers, who enforce the sanctions recommended by ESIC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/esports/2021/08/23/esic-esports-matchfixing/|title=As esports watchdog tackles widespread match-fixing, critics fear it can’t do the job|date=23 August 2021|access-date=7 May 2022|website=The Washington Post|author=Mikhail Klimentov}}
Criticism
While ESIC was initially seen as a positive project, the organization has come under significant criticism regarding its legitimacy and competence.{{Cite web|author=Richard Lewis|url=https://www.dexerto.com/csgo/scrutinizing-the-esic-whistleblower-from-savior-to-blackmailer-2028818/|title=Scrutinizing the ESIC "whistleblower": From savior to blackmailer|date=10 January 2023|access-date=4 June 2023|website=Dexerto|archive-date=13 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513181507/https://www.dexerto.com/csgo/scrutinizing-the-esic-whistleblower-from-savior-to-blackmailer-2028818/|url-status=live}} According to The Washington Post, unnamed critics have described the organization as "underfunded". ESIC doing its work mostly hidden from the public has also caused "public speculation [to curdle] into skepticism". Although ESIC received plaudits for the CS:GO coaching bug investigation, the organization has also been criticized for a perceived lack of expertise about the games it regulates.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dbltap.com/posts/dekay-a-look-inside-an-up-and-down-year-for-the-esic-01esa6p9hhmg|title=DeKay: A Look Inside an Up-And-Down Year for the ESIC|author=Jarek Lewis|website=dbltap.com|date=29 December 2020|access-date=30 December 2020|archive-date=30 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230160142/https://www.dbltap.com/posts/dekay-a-look-inside-an-up-and-down-year-for-the-esic-01esa6p9hhmg|url-status=live}}
The ban of Team Spirit's coach just before the PGL Major Antwerp 2022 for a minor offense of the coaching bug in 2020 due to ESIC's investigation stalling at the time and the eventual overturn right after the major caused backlash from the CS:GO community.{{Cite web|author=Richard Lewis|url=https://www.dexerto.com/esports/scrutinizing-the-esic-whistleblower-the-first-contact-1966260/|title=Scrutinizing the ESIC "whistleblower": The first contact|date=24 October 2022|access-date=4 June 2023|website=Dexerto|archive-date=13 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513181503/https://www.dexerto.com/esports/scrutinizing-the-esic-whistleblower-the-first-contact-1966260/|url-status=live}} ESIC was criticized in December 2022 when it lifted Nicolai "HUNDEN" Petersen's two-year ban early after a "constructive engagement between the two parties".{{Cite web|url=https://www.hltv.org/news/35189/csgo-community-reacts-to-esic-lifting-hundens-ban|title=CS:GO Community Reacts to ESIC Lifting HUNDEN's Ban|date=3 December 2022|website=HLTV|access-date=6 June 2023|archive-date=31 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131194436/https://www.hltv.org/news/35189/csgo-community-reacts-to-esic-lifting-hundens-ban|url-status=live}} HUNDEN was banned by ESIC in August 2021 after he leaked the strategy folder of Heroic, the team he was coaching, to other teams during IEM Cologne 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-csgo-hunden-idUSFLM2tB12L|title=HUNDEN to serve two-year ban following ESIC probe|date=27 August 2021|website=Field Level Media|via=Reuters|access-date=6 June 2023|archive-date=29 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229174036/https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-csgo-hunden-idUSFLM2tB12L|url-status=live}}