For those who were waiting to see yet another epic Phil Ivey moment in this year’s WSOP, you better prepare to be disappointed because it was just revealed that he would be sitting out on the whole thing. Why? Because of the Black Friday incident, of course. He announced that he would be boycotting the WSOP and to top it off, he’ll be suing Full Tilt. He also expressed some very harsh opinions on the whole issue of Full Tilt being slow to pay the players, saying that he is “disgusted” by the site’s treatment of its players.
No Phil Ivey in this Year’s WSOP
The WSOP this year is going to be a bit less exciting now that we know that Phil Ivey’s not playing. He was one of the most news-worthy players and managed to make the news every year for his spectacular performances. However, Phil Ivey’s going to do this for a good cause, so people don’t really have to complain. Through his actions, he hopes to impel those ‘in power’ to start moving in the right direction. He posted a statement on his website earlier today detailing why he’s doing what he’s doing.
His words were: “I wholeheartedly refuse to accept non-action as to repayment of players funds and I am angered that people who have supported me throughout my career have been treated so poorly.” He also said, “My name and reputation have been dragged through the mud, through the inactivity and indecision of others and on behalf of all poker players I refuse to remain silent any longer.”
Of course, you might be wondering why he’s not playing at the WSOP when simply filing a lawsuit against Full Tilt would make a big enough statement. However, Ivey’s not stopping at that. He says that it’s unfair that he can compete when others cannot (because of the Black Friday Incident).
Yay or Nay?
Of course, opinion was pretty much torn over the whole Phil Ivey thing. Some were thinking that it was admirable of him to speak out, while some were thinking that this would just create more trouble for Full Tilt, which is already trying its best to overcome the hurdles wrought by the Black Friday Incident. Ivey’s actions can either help or make matters worse. Hopefully, it’s the former. Either way, he’s surely going to be missed in this year’s WSOP. If you ask me, he’d have made more people happy if he had played and provided us with some much needed entertainment instead of all the extra drama.
Related posts: