Ian Robb, a competitor in the Pokémon TCG World Masters Championship, received a match loss during the quarterfinals for unsportsmanlike conduct, after making an obscene gesture gesture made by a competitor.
The loss was retroactively assigned to Robb's previous match, causing confusion and granting Fernando Cifuentes a berth into the Top 4, impacting the tournament results. Cifuentes then managed to defeat their semifinal opponent and will face Seinosuke Shiokawa in the final.
The match loss and its potential financial consequences of up to $20,000 in prize money have sparked controversy over the fairness of the decision within the Pokémon TCG community, with some players online feeling Robb was unfairly punished.
The Pokémon Company International issued a statement confirming Robb's match loss.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: comicbook.com, screenrant.com, dotesports.com.