E-Sports Integrity Coalition launches, Smith named commissioner

The E-Sports Integrity Coalition (ESIC), a new organisation that wants to combat all forms of cheating in e-sports, has officially launched, with Ian Smith to serve as its first integrity commissioner.

The body is open to all professional e-sports stakeholders, with policy and projects to be determined by members.

Upon its launch this week, ESIC revealed a programme for acceptance and implementation by professional e-sports stakeholders, consisting of a Participant Code of Conduct, Anti-Corruption Code, Anti-Doping Policy and an independent Disciplinary Procedure.

The organisation has signed up the likes of Sportradar, Betway, Unikm, Intel and Dreamhack as founding partners.

In a statement, ESIC said it will focus on finalising membership agreements with stakeholders it is in negotiations with, as well as the implementation of its programme for members.

The organisation also said that it intends to roll out participant anti-corruption education, as well as monitor and investigate suspicious betting in e-sports markets through the use of Sportradar’s Fraud Detection System.

“I have spent the last 20 years working across a range of sports, involved heavily in the protection of their integrity, so I am looking forward to applying all those insights and experience to the e-sports ecosystem,” Smith said.

“There are many challenges ahead, but it is to e-sports’ credit that the industry is taking these steps in anticipation of a foreseeable problem, rather than in reaction to a crisis, which is the route taken by most traditional sports to date.”

Anna Rozwandowicz, director of communications at e-sports competition the ESL and a board member for the ESIC, added: “Integrity is paramount at ESL; we were the first esports organiser to introduce doping control at events and have since then made awareness of the issue a priority within the industry.

“ESL is proud to be a part of ESIC are looking forward to developing and evolving the initiative further with industry partners and influencers.”

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