by The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) have concluded their investigation into Astralis’ controversial emergency substitution during the BLAST Premier Fall Final.
The Danish Counter-Strike organisation has been fined US$15,000 and required to forfeit their US$10,000 tournament prize money for breaching ESIC’s Integrity Program.
The fine will be donated to an ESIC-approved charity, and Astralis has chosen the Danish Mental Health Foundation as the recipient.
The controversial decision that is in question occurred on September 17, when Astralis announced Casper “cadiaN” M?ller as their newest signing.
However, cadiaN was ineligible to compete in the BLAST Premier Fall Final due to a roster submission deadline that had passed on September 4.
Astralis requested an emergency substitution, citing a “medical issue” that reportedly made Alexander “br0” Bro unfit to play.
BLAST approved the substitution, allowing cadiaN to step in.
However, the decision was met with immediate criticism when br0’s agent, Fabian Broich, publicly refuted the medical claim, stating that br0 was healthy and available to compete.
This sparked community outcry and led to several team captains at the tournament protesting the decision.
Today, the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) publishes the findings of its investigation into Astralis’ emergency substitution request for Alexander “br0” Bro during the BLAST Premier Fall Final.
This investigation was initiated following a formal request from BLAST to… pic.twitter.com/3C5UgE29vT
— ESIC (@ESIC_Official) November 27, 2024
Following a two-month investigation, ESIC revealed key issues with misrepresentation, a lack of transparency, and procedural failures by BLAST.
Astralis provided ambiguous wording in their substitution request, leading BLAST to believe br0 was experiencing a medical emergency.
Astralis did not clarify or correct the misunderstanding when BLAST publicly announced the substitution.
The tournament organiser approved the substitution without sufficient validation, relying solely on Astralis’ representations and failing to request supporting evidence.
Although the substitution did not impact the tournament’s competitive outcome as Astralis was eliminated in the group stage, ESIC emphasised that the lack of integrity in Astralis’ actions violated its Integrity Program.
Astralis has maintained their stance, asserting that the decision to bench br0 was in accordance with Danish employment laws and aimed at protecting their player in a sensitive situation.
In their statement, Astralis expressed disappointment with the ruling but committed to donating the fine to charity.
BLAST, meanwhile, acknowledged their procedural shortcomings and vowed to improve its processes for handling emergency substitutions in the future.
The penalties have sparked debate within the esports community.
Please disband – leave your jobs – quit your presence in our community
Thanks https://t.co/4GAhNuX8LC
— Gabriel Toledo (@FalleNCS) November 27, 2024
Critics argue that the punishment is insufficient to deter similar behaviour in the future.
Prominent voices, including commentators and players, have called for harsher sanctions, such as the loss of Valve ranking points.
Others have criticised ESIC’s focus on the lack of tournament impact, asserting that the principle of integrity should take precedence over competitive results.
The incident highlights the importance of transparency, accountability, and robust governance in esports.
Both Astralis and BLAST face scrutiny as they work to restore trust in their respective roles.
ESIC’s report underscores the need for stricter oversight to uphold the integrity of professional esports competitions.
