In a twist that adds a dash of competitive drama to the esports scene, Team Spirit’s Manager, Dmitry “Korb3n” Belov, has called out the organizer of the Dota 2 ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 tournament for what he perceives as a loophole in their rules.
The focus of his contention? The inconsistency surrounding roster changes and the alleged advantage given to Azure Ray.
Korb3n had initially sounded the alarm on November 29 via his private Telegram channel, predicting the disqualification of the Chinese powerhouse, Azure Ray. The team had made a quick substitution of three players—Guo “xm” Huongcheng, Lin “Xxs” Jing, and Zhao “XinQ” Zixing—for the established trio Lu “Somnus” Yao, Yang “Chalice” Shenyi, and Xu “Fy” Linsen, who were expected to take a hiatus from competitive Dota.
To everyone’s surprise, Azure Ray not only avoided disqualification but went on to triumph over Gaimin Gladiators in a nail-biting grand finals showdown. Korb3n, not one to hold back, voiced his frustration on Telegram, arguing that Azure Ray should have faced penalties in accordance with ESL rules.
“I don’t really care whether they (Azure Ray) were disqualified or not, whether they won the tournament or not. I’m a fan of Team Aster anyway,” Korb3n stated. “I just pointed out the loophole in ESL rules because their rules explicitly state that replacing 3 players resets ESL Pro Tour (EPT) points or disqualifies the team.”
Adding fuel to the esports fire, Korb3n emphasized the alleged disadvantage faced by Team Spirit due to not being allowed player substitutions within the constraints applied by Azure Ray in Kuala Lumpur. He reminded that Team Spirit had to withdraw from the tournament as the organizer refused three substitutions, reallocating the team’s slot to another team that successfully passed the WEU closed qualifier.
“It was precisely because of this rule that we were not allowed to participate with 3 subs, and our slot was given to the WEU qualifiers. And by the same rule, Azure Ray should have been disqualified. But it’s all up to the boss,” Korb3n asserted.
As of now, ESL has remained silent on Korb3n’s grievances. With ESL One Birmingham 2024 looming just months away, the esports community eagerly awaits resolution, hoping to avoid any potential clashes among participants stemming from similar concerns.
