A week ago Pokerstars pro Dale “Daleroxxu” Philip, a Scots professional player who lives in Thailand and travelled as a playing ambassador for Pokerstars, stirred up the message boards by tweeting that he had been dropped from Team Pokerstars over a non-poker incident in Marbella, where he had been representing the company.
It appears that after Philip was eliminated from the main event of the UKIPT – Estrellas Poker Tour in Marbella, and still wearing his Pokerstars shirt, the young Scot went to a local venue to watch the Dutch vs. Spain World Cup football match.
Clearly not a Spanish fan, and recorded in video footage of the incident, Philip went over the top in celebrating the spectacular Van Persie goal against Spain and danced around in front of the largely home crowd, repeatedly giving a fist-and-forearm gesture that is generally considered insulting, especially on the Continent.
Using his blog, Philip subsequently reaffirmed his perception that he had been given the boot six months prior to the expiration of his Team Pokerstars contract because of his actions whilst ‘off-duty’ at the soccer screening.
He claims that this was the reason given to him by Pokerstars, although the company will not comment beyond confirming his dismissal.
Opinions on the message boards are split on whether Philip was treated badly or not by Pokerstars, with many pointing out that he was wearing a Pokerstars shirt in Spain (where the company is doing business and where he had been sent to represent Pokerstars) and that his use of the rude gesture was provocative and unnecessary.
Philip has now clammed up, saying he has said all he intends to say on his blog.
Judge for yourself in this vid of the incident:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xqsEo5VIdc