An Oregon card shop has temporarily suspended its Yu-Gi-Oh! tournaments after receiving multiple complaints about the hygiene of participating players.
According to IGN, Chronos Games & Gifts announced on its public Discord server that it would pause Yu-Gi-Oh! tournaments for one week. The shop cited ongoing issues involving player hygiene and restroom conditions.
“We have had issues with people mistreating the restrooms and multiple bad reviews because of poor hygiene. As a reminder, we encourage players to follow Konami guidelines and report anyone who does not,” the store wrote.
Konami’s Hygiene Policy Already Exists
The announcement also referenced tournament guidelines established by Konami. In 2019, Konami updated its official tournament policy to require participants to wear clean clothing and maintain proper personal hygiene during sanctioned events.
According to the tournament guide:
“Neglecting to wash or put on clean clothes contributes to an unpleasant atmosphere at the event, as the tournament can be crowded and the day can be long.”
The policy also states:
“Persons who neglect self-care to the point that they are negatively impacting the tournament may be asked to correct the issue to continue in the event.”
Store Hopes to Resume Events
Chronos Games & Gifts has not announced any long-term changes beyond the one-week suspension.
While the announcement has generated discussion online, Konami’s hygiene requirements have been part of its official competitive play rules for several years.