NEWS & PRESS

May 06, 2022

ESIC ISSUES CHARGES AGAINST THREE COACHES RESULTING FROM THE HISTORICAL SPECTATOR BUG INVESTIGATION

OVERVIEW

On 5^th May 2022 ESIC issued a statement ( ESIC TO ISSUE CHARGES RESULTING FROM HISTORICAL SPECTATOR BUG INVESTIGATION – ESIC) setting out information on the Static Spectator Bug, Third-Person Spectator Bug, and Free-Roam Spectator Bug (collectively referred to as “Spectator Bug Variants”) encountered in CS:GO competition over a significant number of years and explaining how each would be dealt with in sanctioning participants who had been bugged by each of the variants. 37 coaches were sanctioned in 2020 for offences relating to the static spectator bug variant.

This statement deals with charges against three participants ahead of further statements to be made by ESIC with respect to the Spectator Bug Variants in finalising this matter.

CLARIFICATION ON REASONING BEHIND SANCTIONS RELATING TO THE SPECTATOR BUG VARIANTS

In order to be abundantly clear, it is important to note that ESIC does not view the outcome of an unfair advantage being achieved as a necessary factor of the threat created by the Spectator Bug Variants. Rather, the mere potential for exploitation and its utilisation by the affected participants created an opportunity for an unfair advantage that should have been immediately rectified.

The Commissioner is of the view that all Spectator Bug Variant related occurrences regardless of apparent harm (or harmlessness) should, in a professional setting, be dealt with swiftly and immediately. The Commissioner takes the firm view that esports should hold no room for complacency with such matters and accordingly seeks to apply a penalty to those who did not adequately deal with the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage during an occurrence any of the Spectator Bug Variants.

The above reasoning is consistent with all statements made by ESIC relating to the Spectator Bug Variants.

ESIC ISSUES NOTICES OF CHARGE TO THREE ESPORTS PARTICIPANTS AS A RESULT OF THE HISTORICAL SPECTATOR BUG INVESTIGATION 

ESIC has issued three individuals with a Notice of Charge relating to various occurrences of the Spectator Bug Variants. These individuals are:

• Luis “peacemaker” Tadeu [Free Roam Spectator Bug]
• Sergey ‘hally’ Shavayev [Static Spectator Bug]
• Rafael ‘zakk’ Fernandes [Static Spectator Bug]

ESIC’s Notices of Charge detail the offence, evidence relied upon, as well as ESIC’s Intended Sanction pending the offending party’s replies to ESIC during the allotted reply window notified in the Notice of Charge.

Due to the nature of the Spectator Bug Variants, and ESIC’s Penalty Mechanism as outlined in ESIC’s statement issued on the 5^th of May 2022 (viewed here), each of the above participants have been provisionally suspended as at the date of their Notices of Charge from all ESIC Member Events.

Any time spent provisionally suspended will be credited to any formal period of suspension the offending parties may receive upon ESIC’s final determination (post reply window). Each offending party has the right to appeal the provisional suspension from ESIC member events. It should be noted that PGL, the organisers of the Antwerp Major (Major), and Valve the publisher of CS:GO are not members of ESIC. Consequently, ESIC has no jurisdiction to make decisions relating to the Major.

EVIDENCE RELIED UPON – DECLASSIFIED AS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION

In laying its charges, ESIC relied upon the following evidence:

Luis “peacemaker” Tadeu:

Did not act in an appropriate manner in response to a CS:GO free roam camera bug on 6 March 2018 during a match between Heroic and Imperial held at the ECS Season 5 Europe Challenger Cup (Conduct).

Evidence:

Intended Sanction: Suspension from all ESIC Member events for a period of time notified in the Notice of Charge but subject to a final determination by ESIC after considering any replies received.

Note: This participant is provisionally suspended from all ESIC Member events pending the outcome of these proceedings.

Sergey ‘hally’ Shavayev:

Did not act in an appropriate manner in response to the static spectator bug at CIS Rising League Season 3 (Conduct) 

Evidence:

Intended Sanction: Suspension from all ESIC Member events for a period of time notified in the Notice of Charge but subject to a final determination by ESIC after considering any replies received.

Note: This participant is provisionally suspended from all ESIC Member events pending the outcome of these proceedings

Rafael ‘zakk’ Fernandes:

Did not act in an appropriate manner in response to a static spectator bug variant at ESL One Cologne 2018 North America Closed Qualifier (Conduct)

 Evidence:

Intended Sanction: Suspension from all ESIC Member events for a period of time notified in the Notice of Charge but subject to a final determination by ESIC after considering any replies received.

Note: This participant is provisionally suspended from all ESIC Member events pending the outcome of these proceedings.

EXPLANATORY NOTE REGARDING INTENDED SANCTIONS

ESIC has notified each offending party of an Intended Sanction. ESIC will determine the final sanction applicable in each case depending on the response received from the relevant offending party. Once determined, ESIC will notify its determination via public statement on its website only as well as its Sanctions Register.

REASON WHY ESIC HAS CHOSEN TO INCLUDE THE EVIDENCE LIST IN THIS STATEMENT

ESIC has elected to include the evidence related to the charges made out against the individuals mentioned in this statement as:

1. The evidence is primarily if not wholly publicly available information;
2. The evidence does not include any sensitive, or personal information;
3. The evidence resembles the form of evidence ESIC chose to release in the first sanctions handed out by ESIC; and
4. The evidence is of pertinent public interest.

When making a public statement, ESIC will make a determination on whether to make evidence public on a case-by-case basis.

NEXT STEPS RELATING TO THIS STATEMENT

ESIC will make a series of releases that notify charges that ESIC intends to impose on other affected participants. ESIC will place a notice for anticipated releases on its Open Investigations Register located here.