The winner of the 2026 regional Pokémon GO championship in Orlando has been stripped of his title after his post-match behavior was deemed “unsportsmanlike.”
Player Firestar73_ secured victory in the decisive fifth game of the final. However, organizers later annulled his result and awarded the win to his opponent, NiteTimeClasher.
After winning, Firestar73_ removed his headset, stood up, and celebrated by pumping his fist in the air before approaching his opponent for a handshake. Judges ruled these actions unsportsmanlike. According to eyewitnesses, the key issue may have been that he threw his headset onto the table too aggressively.
The decision sparked backlash within the community. Many players and fans consider the punishment overly harsh, arguing that the celebration was simply a natural emotional reaction after an intense match.
Reminder: Evil Geniuses recently introduced the Gridlock tournament series for Minecraft.