By RP, August 22, 2014
Political slogans on shirts and other apparel worn during live poker tournaments unfolding in Barcelona this week has triggered comment from the organisers that in future “…entry will be refused to any player displaying political statements of any kind.”
The comment comes from Pokerstars communications chief Eric Hollreiser after a social networking furore arose when high roller finalists Oliver Busquet and Daniel Colman displayed their political leanings on the Israeli-Gaza conflict through the medium of their T-shirt slogans.
Exacerbating the situation was the additional exposure generated by the televised nature of the match.
In a statement to the Pokerfuse poker information site, Hollreiser said: “In retrospect it was a mistake to allow them entry. Our tournaments are designed to promote poker and poker competition and not as a platform for political statements.
“Players have many channels to express their views on world politics, but our tournaments are not an appropriate place,” he continued. “We will refuse entry to any player displaying political statements of any kind.”