PGL Stockholm Major players to face disqualification if they test positive for COVID-19

PGL, the tournament organizer of the Stockholm Major, the first CS:GO Major in over two years, has informed teams attending the event that anyone who returns a positive COVID-19 test could be disqualified from the competition.

The strict punishment is outlined in the tournament’s official rulebook, which was obtained by Dexerto. The COVID-19 Guidelines for the PGL Stockholm Major advise all players, coaches, and managers to wear a mask at all times while being around other people, and to follow Sweden’s health protocols.

“Players, coaches, and managers are not restricted on their free time but may be subjected to penalties and/or disqualification if the person(s) is deemed to have endangered the tournament by putting others at risk,” the official PGL Stockholm Major rulebook reads.

Those who show symptoms of COVID-19 and return a positive test result may not be able to continue playing in the tournament and may be disqualified. More than one team has expressed their concerns about PGL’s protocols, according to Dexerto. They think that players who test positive for COVID-19 should be isolated but still allowed to play from their hotel room, at least during the first stages of the event.

The last four days of the PGL Stockholm Major will be played in the Avicii Arena in front of a large audience. It will be the first time a premier CS:GO tournament will have fans watching the event live since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, so this might explain why PGL is being so cautious.

The PGL Stockholm Major will run from Oct. 26 to Nov. 7.

Update Oct. 21 9:29am CT: PGL has provided a comment regarding this matter. “We can’t put in danger the integrity of the Major,” PGL said. “That’s why we asked every team to have a substitute if one player is tested positive. We want our position to be consistent, and that’s why every positive player will have to be substituted by the reserve player.”