Pokémon Player Stripped Of Tournament Win Tells His Side Of The Story After Weeks Of Controversy

Firestar73, the Pokémon GO player stripped of an Orlando Regional Championships win, says the ruling was based on an accidental table shake and celebration, not deliberate misconduct.

He says judges first questioned his reaction during the match, then later identified the table shaking as the issue; the Pokémon Company has said it will not reverse the decision.

The case is drawing attention to how Play! Pokémon enforces unsportsmanlike conduct rules and how difficult post-match appeals can be.

Firestar73 is asking for handbook changes to better protect players from penalties for accidental disruptions and for a fairer appeals process.