Call of Duty pro ZooMaa retires due to recurring wrist injury
Professional esports player Thomas ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto announced his retirement from the Call of Duty Theater. The player’s professional career began in December 2013 with a two-month stint with Team NA Bati (which is now finished), before he started making a name for himself with Denial Esports in 2014 as part of the winning team in UMG Dallas 2014 (Call of Duty: Ghosts Championship). ZooMaa spent most of his career with FaZe Clan from 2015 to 2019, and last year he was with the New York Subliners.
ZooMaa explained the decision in Posted on Twitlonger, And this is the return of a long-term injury.
Zooma wrote: “This is the hardest thing I’ve had to write, I’m stepping down and I’m not going to compete anymore in Call of Duty for the foreseeable future.” “I’m not sure if many of you remember, but a few years ago while at FaZe, I was weak in my thumb / wrist and needed surgery. Having a health restoration procedure again was one of the hardest things that I had to do both physically And mentally resulting in a lot of stress and anxiety.
“Unfortunately, the injury has returned making it difficult for me to compete at the highest level against some of the best players in the world. Playing through weakness and pain in my hand is not possible anymore. I do not enjoy competing when I cannot be ZooMaa, everyone knows, loves and feels It is not fair for me or my team to go through all of this again, which could cause more damage to my hand. “
The news comes just days before the final season of Call of Duty League kicks off, and it leaves NY Subliners with a gap in their roster that must be filled. The team posted thanks to ZooMaa and wished him a speedy recovery.
We are grateful for everything ZooMaa has done for Subliners and all of our organization wishes him a speedy recovery. His amazing talent as a teammate and competitor has always made him such an amazing and the positivity he brings to society is truly special. We’ll see you soon. https://t.co/P5ZIKnvE72 pic.twitter.com/Lm4xLRsEAdJanuary 19, 2021
Sad news appears to be a ubiquitous problem for esports organizations, and that’s how To keep their players healthy. Some may make fun of Identify athletes in relation to esports But, as Katie notes in that piece, “tell esports professionals with repetitive stress injury, or tennis elbow,” about it. The physical risks and losses that a professional lifestyle can incur on a young person’s body are real.
ZooMaa’s career lasted eight years, and he is now 25 years old. He sees his future still tied to COD in some way (“I love this game so much that I can’t quite get away from it”) even though it’s clear the physical risks make a comeback in play unlikely.
“The run was great,” ZooMaa wrote. “I don’t regret anything and I am grateful that I spent my long career playing and doing what I love to do at such a high level. I’ve met so many wonderful people through esports, and I’ve made many friendships that I will continue to cherish for the rest of my life.”
