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❘ Printed: 2023-01-20T11:27:57
❘ Up to date: 2023-01-20T11:27:57
ESL VP of Product Improvement Michal ‘Carmac’ Blicharz has expressed his astonishment at seeing Virtus.professional declare the IEM Rio CS:GO Main trophy, gained by Outsiders.
The IEM Rio Main got here to an finish in November, with CIS crew Outsiders profitable the trophy at a packed Jeunesse Area after beating Heroic 2-0 in a one-sided last.
‘Outsiders’ is the identify that Virtus.professional’s CS:GO crew has been enjoying below for the reason that begin of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in February 2022. Using a impartial identify, with none reference to Virtus.professional or their sponsors, got here in response to a number of match organizers, together with ESL, banning Russian organizations with alleged ties to the Kremlin.
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However on January 18, Virtus.professional posted on social media a video of the unboxing of the Main trophy, prompting a response from Carmac.
“That is definitely an unwelcome shock, as VP didn’t win the title at IEM Rio and VP do not need the suitable to misrepresent the IEM Rio outcomes as a VP victory,” he posted to Twitter.
“The trophy was despatched to an deal with in Armenia supplied by Outsiders.”
The video has sparked outrage amongst Ukrainians, who’ve referred to as on ESL to reply. “I hope such an ideal firm like ESL will discover some dignity to do one thing about it,” said Valorant coach Ivan ‘Johnta’ Shevtsov.
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For a number of months now, Virtus.professional have claimed that they’re not related to ESforce, a Russian holding firm that owns a number of esports properties, together with media web site Cybersport and match organizer Epic Esports Occasions.
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ESforce was acquired in 2018 by Mail.Ru Group Restricted, now generally known as VK. Since December 2021, state-run insurer Sogaz has a controlling stake in VK, with the corporate being included on the European Union’s February 28 sanctions checklist imposed on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.
In September, Armenian citizen Aram Karamanukyan was introduced as the brand new CEO of Virtus.professional and an investor within the firm. Virtus.professional’s Dota 2 crew was in a position to play below the group’s banner at TI 2022, however the CS:GO squad needed to play as Outsiders on the Rio Main and on the year-end BLAST Premier World Closing.
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Mr. Karamanukyan’s tenure as Virtus.professional CEO proved short-lived: On December 13, the group introduced Nikolai Petrossian because the group’s new CEO.
A former PR Director for Adidas CIS and director for Mail.Ru, Mr. Petrossian took cost of Virtus.professional after virtually a 12 months on the helm of ESforce – an announcement that many noticed as affirmation that the 2 entities are nonetheless related.
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