Jamppi Lawsuit Aims to Ignite Debate About Legality of Lifetime Bans in CS:GO

The purpose of the lawsuit Elias "Jamppi" Olkkonen filed last month against Valve Corporation aims to open the dialogue about the legality of lifetime bans in CS:GO, according to multiple sources. Rather than specifically argue against Jamppi's link to a VAC-banned account, which the lawsuit alleges prevented him from being signed by OG, his camp is challenging the idea to that is it fair to give a consumer a lifetime ban that prevents one from practicing a profession.

According to multiple sources, the idea of a lawsuit started with Jamppi's father, who presented his son's case to a group of Finnish lawyers who specialize in traditional sports. Had the lawsuit only aimed to argue what Jamppi did with the VAC banned account, sources explained, court proceedings (if any) would have taken place in the United States. Instead, arguing the fairness of a lifetime ban allows the proceedings to take place in the EU, where consumer protection laws are much more strict.

While the lawsuit includes compensation for alleged damages due to missing out on Jamppi's opportunity to play for OG, they are not a priority, according to sources close to the family. Jamppi's camp most importantly wants to be allowed to participate in Valve-sponsored Major tournaments in the future. Thus far, Valve has yet to respond Jamppi despite multiple attempts to meet for arbitration on the matter. Multiple attempts to reach Valve for comment have gone unanswered.

DBLTAP was provided with a copy of the lawsuit which has been included below.

Jamppi, now 18, purchased a second copy of CS:GO in 2015, when he was 14-years-old, in order to allow a friend to play with him at a LAN party, according to the lawsuit. He allegedly sold the account to the friend, and it later received a VAC ban, which the lawsuit alleges Valve has enforced against Jamppi and has prevented him from being allowed to play in its Majors, the most prestigious tournaments in CS:GO.

The ban, the lawsuit alleges, prevented Jamppi from signing a contract with OG. OG would eventually sign Mateusz "mantuu" Wilczewski to be the fifth member of its inaugural CS:GO team, joining Nathan "NBK” Schmitt, Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen, Valdemar “valde” Bjørn and Issa “ISSAA” Murad.

Jamppi's attempts to work with the Counter-Strike Professional Players Association (CSPPA), of which he is a member, were unsuccessful.

"CSPPA cannot comment on this specific case simply because it has evolved to a legal proceeding which CSPPA is not a party to, because we don’t hold all the details or facts of the matter, and because Jamppi has attaint individual legal representation by a lawyer in Finland," a CSPPA spokesperson said in a statement last week. "We have earlier been in dialogue with the manager and the lawyer of Jamppi and will continue the dialogue and follow the case.

"Generally, it is the position of CSPPA that the integrity of the game is of utmost importance. We all want and need a fair game, and we accept that players may be punished in specific cases, including integrity violations. But it is of course also important for CSPPA that players in a specific case will have a due process and a proportionate and fair punishment. Some players make mistakes in a very young age, which CSPPA also think needs to be take into account."