A professional Pokémon player has publicly called on his competitors to improve their personal hygiene after a foul odor at a recent tournament reportedly made him sick. Donghun Youm, who competed at the 2027 Baltimore Pokémon Regional Championships held earlier this month at the Baltimore Convention Center, said the stench coming from a nearby player was so severe that he had to throw up mid-match and that he and his teammates could no longer concentrate on their games.
The event, part of the competitive Pokémon circuit kicking off again after the 2026 World Championships in August, featured players battling across both the video game and trading card game versions of the franchise. But for Youm, the weekend at the convention center became less about strategy and more about enduring an unpleasant physical environment. He took to social media on September 27 to air his frustration, and the post quickly spread across the gaming community.
A Public Plea on Social Media
In a post that drew widespread attention, Youm directly addressed the broader competitive scene. “Please take care of your personal hygiene,” he wrote. “I’ve had an incident [at] Baltimore regionals where I had to throw up due to a nearby player’s stench. My friends and I couldn’t focus that round due to how putrid the smell was and we even told a judge due to it. Like c’mon man….”
The appeal resonated with fans almost immediately, tapping into long-standing stereotypes about competitive gaming while also highlighting a recurring problem in the shared spaces where gamers gather. One commenter quipped, “My man was fighting two battles at once,” while another insisted the issue was universal: “This goes for all TCGs. I have never understood what is so hard about a 5-min shower and 15 seconds to apply deodorant….”
Others shared their own anecdotes, with one player recounting a separate incident involving energy drinks and another joking about the physical toll of tournament play. The exchange underscored how frequently hygiene concerns surface in competitive gaming circles, where players often spend long hours in close quarters during multi-round events.
“Please take care of your personal hygiene. I’ve had an incident [at] Baltimore regionals where I had to throw up due to a nearby player’s stench. My friends and I couldn’t focus that round due to how putrid the smell was and we even told a judge due to it.”
Donghun Youm, competitive Pokémon player
A Recurring Problem Across Gaming Scenes
Youm’s complaints echo a pattern that has surfaced repeatedly across esports and trading card game communities. Smash Bros. players have faced similar criticism in the past, and a Yu-Gi-Oh tournament was once put on hold after organizers said players smelled so badly that conditions became untenable. The phenomenon is not limited to competitive gaming either, with one anime voice actor having publicly begged fans to bathe before attending a concert.
The persistence of these complaints suggests that the issue runs deeper than individual oversight. Many gaming venues serve as de facto community hubs where players spend extended periods, and maintaining hygiene standards over long stretches of intense competition can prove difficult. Tournament organizers have occasionally been pressed to address the concerns, though consistent solutions remain elusive.
Looking Ahead
Despite the difficult circumstances, Youm managed to finish 60th at Baltimore Regionals with a 9-4 record. “Not my best performance but considering I locked the team [at] 4 am the night before I think I did pretty alright,” he wrote at the time, noting that he had finalized his team lineup in the early hours before competition. The comment hinted that fatigue, alongside the environmental challenges, may have factored into his results.
As the competitive Pokémon circuit continues to build momentum following the 2026 World Championships, questions about player welfare and tournament conditions are likely to gain attention. Whether organizers will take formal steps to address hygiene and venue concerns remains to be seen, but Youm’s candid account has already ensured the conversation is well underway.
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