When Ivey was absent from the $25,000 Heads Up NL Hold’em Championship event at the World Series of Poker, it was noted. When a statement first appeared on a Facebook page bearing Ivey’s name, people thought it was a fake account. After it was confirmed to be Ivey’s account, people thought it must have been hacked. When the statement was also found on philivey.com, people began to take it seriously.
For many years, I have been proud to call myself a poker player. This great sport has taken me to places I only imagined going and I have been blessed with much success. It is therefore with deep regret that I believe I am compelled to release the following statement.
I am deeply disappointed and embarrassed that Full Tilt players have not been paid money they are owed. I am equally embarrassed that as a result many players cannot compete in tournaments and have suffered economic harm.
I am not playing in the World Series of Poker as I do not believe it is fair that I compete when others cannot. I am doing everything I can to seek a solution to the problem as quickly as possible.
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. I have electronically filed a lawsuit against Tiltware related to the unsettled player accounts. As I am sure the public can imagine, this was not an easy decision for me.
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.
I sincerely hope this statement will ignite those capable of resolving the problems into immediate action and would like to clarify that until a solution is reached that cements the security of all players, both US and International, I will, as I have for the last six weeks, dedicate the entirety of my time and efforts to finding a solution for those who have been wronged by the painfully slow process of repayment.
The overwhelming majority of responses posted on Ivey’s Facebook page praised and supported him for his stance. The skeptics are out there too, pointing to the statement as a public relations ploy. Whether a ploy or sincere, Phil Ivey continues to be held in the highest regards in the poker world.
