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Objection to the player name COVID-19

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Jacki:
I have noticed a player using the name COVID-19 and would like to register my distaste and quite frankly disgust at the poor choice of a name. Surely out of respect to the loss of life and terrible suffering around the world this player could think of a different name.

Alan W:
A week ago or so, someone sent me an email drawing my attention to the player name "covid spreader". I thought that was offensive, so I changed it to anon, and kept an eye out over the following days for any re-occurrence of that name.

At the time I saw that there had been some games played using variants of "covid-19" as a player name, but I wasn't sure how offensive that was. The newspapers are full of cartoons about the pandemic, with frequent depictions of the virus. I don't like to interfere with people's choices of name without a powerful reason for doing so. Since the names are unregistered, I have no email address, or any other way of contacting the player(s) concerned to suggest they stop using such names.

What do others think?

blackrockrose:
Alan, I also toyed with the idea of complaining about 'covid19 spreader', but didn't want to put it in the forum. (Sending you an email didn't occur to me.)

I've no objection to 'covid19' appearing in a player name, but 'covid19 spreader' is a step too far for me.

pat:
Like you, Alan, I think "covid spreader" is offensive. It suggests pride in being someone who ignores the rules with the intention of spreading the disease.

I can't get too upset by the use of "COVID-19" though. The virus exists whether we like it or not. It's an odd, and maybe insensitive, choice of name but I don't find it offensive although I fully understand Jacki's feelings.

Valerie:
As you say, Alan, there's not much we can do about it seeing as it's an unregistered player.  And, again, as you say, there are hundreds of 'jokes' flooding the internet, some of which I have to admit are quite funny and inoffensive (the ones I've seen anyway).  I didn't notice the 'spreader' name because I don't pay much attention to any of the names (except, of course, for the people I 'know', such as Ozzyjack, Hobbit, MK, Morbius, TRex, Pat and all you other wonderful people too many to mention).  But I do understand Jacki's (and anyone else's) consternation.
Val

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