Competitive Pokemon TCG players are rallying behind Ihana Mazezka following a ban from competitive play after alleging transphobic abuse during an official event.
On October 2, a fellow TCG competitor tweeted that they were “livid” after Mazezka was suspended by The Pokemon Company International. The suspension came after Mazezka posted a tweet that accused an opponent of misgendering and harassing them after a match at the Baltimore Regional competition.
According to Mazezka’s post, they notified staff after an opponent appeared to be “slow playing.” After, Mazezka stated their opponent repeatedly and intentionally misgendered them, even after being corrected by judges at the event. Despite these claims, Mazezka is now suspended. This uncorked a broader discussion regarding The Pokemon Company International’s handling of harassment issues. Or lack thereof.
What happened at the Pokemon TCG Baltimore Regional?
Ihana Mazezka says they were purposefully misgendered during an official Pokemon TCG event and were suspended after reporting the abuse.
While competing at the tournament, Mazezka says they faced a competitor who appeared to be stalling. After calling for a judge, Mazezka stated their opponent’s demeanor changed and became more confrontational. This escalated, resulting in the head judge being called over. Mazezka states that their opponent then had a back-and-forth with the head judge that included deliberate misgendering and transphobic comments.
While the official PlayPokemon rules state that the company “will not take part in or tolerate discrimination, victimization, harassment, or bullying of any kind” due to gender identity, Mazezka says the individual was not punished. It’s unknown if the accused has faced any punishment, but Mazezka is now banned. Another player raged against the ban on Twitter, with Mazezka seemingly confirming the sanction.
PlayPokemon accused of allowing an unsafe environment surrounding tournaments
Word of Mazezka’s ban resulted in a discussion of similar incidents where people opt against reporting harassment for fear of reprisal. Alongside discussion of transphobia being permitted, others discussed misogyny going unchecked.
Other members of the Pokemon TCG community have come out in support of Mazezka, condemning Pokemon for its decision. Many felt it was a “dangerous precedent.”
The Pokemon Company International has yet to respond to outcry from TCG players. It does not publish competitive rulings regarding bans, no matter how visible the result is. It’s unclear how long Mazezka will be suspended for.
The suspension coming two weeks after the initial tweet was also criticized, as it will likely preclude Mazezka from competing in other tournaments, including the Kentucky Regional on October 11 and potentially the Latin America International Championships in November. The Latin America International Championships is an important event for qualifying for the World Championship.