Top Tekken 8 pro Arslan Ash has responded after The International Esports Federation (IESF) released a statement claiming he had violated its anti-doping regulations back when he won the 2022 World Esports Championship (WEC22) for Tekken 7.
In June, the IESF stated that Arslan Ash had tested positive for anabolic steroid use on December 10th, 2022. According to the IESF, the substance is banned by the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA), which the IESF attempts to enforce by conducting anti-doping testing at its sanctioned tournaments, including WEC22.
Due to this policy, Arslan Ash’s awards and prize money were taken away from any IESF-sanctioned tournaments between December 10th, 2022 and April 26th, 2023, which includes the World Esports Championship 2022. He was also banned from April 26th 2023 to April 25th, 2025, a two-year sentence.
“IESF reiterates it zero-tolerance policy towards doping and will continue to take all necessary measures to protect the health, safety and fairness of esports competition worldwide,” it stated back in June, confusing the FGC.
As the ruling, which was announced in June 2025, spread throughout the fighting game community in July, Arslan Ash made a statement of his own to ProPakistani.
“I wasn’t aware these drugs were banned in esports,” he admitted. “I was never using them for any kind of advantage in gaming. Once I learned about their risks and the anti-doping rules, I stopped using them completely.”
Esports Integrity Commission Will Not Enforce ISEF’s Ruling
The FGC at large reacted with skepticism in early July as the IESF’s statement started to make its rounds online. First, some wondered why the statement was issued so many years after the WEC22 and second, a lot of players wondered how steroids would give Arslan Ash an advantage in a fighting game.
Many esports tournaments ban the use of Adderall and other substances that could give an in-game advantage by improving performance. However, a lot of players wondered how steroid use would impact a Tekken 8 tournament.
Skeptics didn’t only include fighting game fans but the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), which said it was not going to recognise or enforce the IESF’s ruling because steroids don’t interfere esports as they would in traditional sports.
Speaking to the Esports Advocate, ESIC said: “Without a scientifically grounded and purpose-built approach to anti-doping in esports, serious consequences to competitive integrity are inevitable—as demonstrated by this incident. ESIC remains firmly committed to a fair, evidence-based anti-doping framework and will continue to encourage all members to rely on ESIC’s established and proven approach.”
Arslan Ash Opens Up About Steroid Use
With the ruling going viral in the FGC years after the ban initially took place, Arslan Ash took time to discuss his steroid use on X (formerly Twitter). The pro fighter was very adamant that he was unaware that he’d been using steroids at the time, admitting to fans that he was offering ‘supplements’ by a trainer at a local gym in Pakistan in 2022.
According to Arslan Ash, he only found out the supplements were steroids once he was tested by the ISEF. He said: “I want to be clear, this was never intentional. I was misled, and unfortunately, like many others, became a victim of a gym culture where substances like these are sold casually, with zero guidance or education.
“As soon as I understood what had happened, I stopped immediately. Since then, I’ve joined a better gym, taken full responsibility for my health and educated myself to ensure this never happens again.”
Arslan Ash then added that the steroids had ‘never been a part’ of his esports career.
“I’ve been winning international titles like EVO and many others long before I even stepped foot in a gym. My success in gaming is and always has been built purely on skill, hard work and passion,” Arslan Ash said.
At this time, Arslan Ash’s many victories over the past few years will still be counted as legitimate, cementing his current status as the best Tekken player in the world.
