The controversy began when BLAST approved an emergency substitution for Astralis at the Fall Final, allowing their newly signed captain, Casper “?cadiaN?” M?ller, to replace Alexander “?br0?” Bro after the roster lock deadline.
Astralis claimed br0 was unfit to play due to a medical emergency, though br0’s agent publicly stated that the player was fully healthy and ready to compete.
As we represent @br0CSGO teams have reached out to me, regarding his health or medical condition, he is fully fine, obviously unfortunate he got benched. Nevertheless, Alex is fully healthy and ready to perform. So feel free to keep reaching out
— Fabian Broich (@SportsPsycFaBro) September 17, 2024
The decision has outraged several prominent players, including FaZe Clan’s Finn “?karrigan?” Andersen, Team Liquid’s Russel “?Twistzz?” Van Dulken, Team Vitality’s Dan “?apEX?” Madesclaire, and Falcons’ Marco “?Snappi?” Pfeiffer.
These IGLs, along with their teams, skipped the tournament’s media day in protest, with karrigan leading the charge by declaring, “I might be unfit for BLAST Media tomorrow,” a statement echoed by others.
Six out of eight teams followed suit, with only Astralis and Team Spirit’s IGL Leonid “?chopper?” Vishnyakov attending the event.
The protest stems from accusations that BLAST applied a double standard in allowing cadiaN to replace br0, whereas other teams have had similar requests denied in the past.
For example, in 2023, FaZe Clan’s request to replace H?vard “?rain?” Nygaard with Kristian “?k0nfig?” Wienecke was rejected, forcing FaZe to play with their coach instead.
Heroic faced a similar situation earlier in the year when they were denied a substitute for player Abdul “?degster?” Gasanov, who was unable to play due to visa issues.
The captains argue that if br0 was indeed unable to play, Astralis’ coach Danny “?ruggah?” S?rensen should have been the substitute, as per tournament rules.
The lack of transparency and perceived favouritism towards Astralis has fueled outrage among both players and fans.
Adding to the complexity is BLAST’s historical connection to Astralis, having shared ownership ties in the past, which raises concerns of a conflict of interest.
Though BLAST’s parent company, RFRSH Entertainment, divested from Astralis in 2019, the lingering ties still cast a shadow over such decisions.
In response to the controversy, the captains, led by karrigan, published an open letter criticising BLAST’s handling of the situation.
There are two things we as IGLs want to address when it comes to Blast’s decision regarding the allowance of Cadian to play for Astralis at Blast Fall Finals.
Firstly, integrity is at utmost importance. The roster lock rules are established for this very purpose. There have been 2 separate cases where coaches were forced to play for their respective teams: Heroic at Blast Fall Groups, and G2 at Blast Spring Finals. Emergency substitutes have previously been denied, and in this case, we believe that if br0 is in fact unfit to play, Astralis coach Ruggah would have to step in and play.
The results at Blast Fall Finals have a significant impact on the RMR Rankings, as well as a significant impact on the teams that are currently fighting for crucial points to qualify for Blast World Finals.
The second aspect we wish to address is our firm stance against the exploitation of mental health or physical health issues as a means to justify the allowance of an emergency substitute. We believe that such matters should never be taken lightly. In the event that a player faces an emergency in the future, it is essential to respect their privacy and extend our wishes for a speedy recovery to them.
We are not requesting evidence of br0’s situation, and we extend our best wishes and respect to him, if an emergency is indeed the case. As previously mentioned, rules are rules, and according to the precedent set by Blast stating that if no substitutes are added prior to the event, the coach would be the primary substitute.
Given the circumstances, we believe that Ruggah should serve as a substitute, and permitted to play, if he is in good health and fit to do so.
Finally, if Astralis were to receive a penalty or sanction, we advocate that any fine imposed should be going towards a mental health charity donation.
Sincerely,
karrigan, apex, snappi, aleksib, twistzz, snax, chopper
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The Macedonian captain’s sought-after status was solidified by his leadership during Apeks’ impressive run at the BLAST.tv Paris Major.
Heroic’s proactive move to secure Kyxsan’s services signals a strategic step in reinforcing their competitive edge.
With this signing, Heroic completes the puzzle of their comprehensive roster rebuild, ushering in a new era that amalgamates experience and fresh talent.
The revamped dynamics within the team set the stage for Kyxsan’s leadership, marking a transformative shift for Heroic.
The departure of Casper “cadiaN” M?ller, Heroic’s legendary former IGL, leaves behind a legacy defined by strategic brilliance and exceptional leadership.
Kyxsan now faces the formidable challenge of filling the void left by CadiaN, not only in terms of statistics and individual skill but also in terms of the profound impact CadiaN had on the team’s culture and success.
As Kyxsan steps into this challenging role, he faces a time crunch with the PGL Copenhagen Major Europe RMR open qualifiers looming on January 8.
Adapting to Heroic’s gameplay, implementing new strategies, and establishing cohesion within the team become critical tasks for Kyxsan from the outset.
The urgency to form a cohesive unit adds an extra layer of pressure, requiring Kyxsan to quickly adapt to a new team dynamic, coordinate strategies with new teammates, and lead Heroic through the high-stakes qualifiers.
The esports community eagerly awaits Heroic’s debut with Kyxsan at the helm, as the narrative of the team’s journey unfolds with a mix of anticipation and curiosity.
The PGL Copenhagen Major Europe RMR open qualifiers serve as a trial by fire, testing Heroic’s mettle and revealing the extent of Kyxsan’s influence on the team’s trajectory in the post-CadiaN era.
The expectations surrounding Kyxsan’s leadership and the potential impact on Heroic’s competitive standing are substantial, and fans can only hope for the best.
Despite attracting interest from various clubs following Apeks’ success, Kyxsan opted to extend his contract with the Norwegian organization until the end of 2024.
Apeks continued to participate in notable events throughout the year, securing runners-up finishes at Elisa Masters Espoo and ESL Challenger Atlanta, propelling them to No. 11 in the ESL rankings.
Best gift ever.
Welcome @kyxsancs
pic.twitter.com/Q1aJfJ4msv
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) December 21, 2023
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The team announced that Martin “?stavn?” Lund and Jakob “?jabbi?” Nygaard have been temporarily benched.
roster update. pic.twitter.com/EEiU0xQXYe
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) October 25, 2023
This move comes on the heels of the removal of Casper “?cadiaN?” M?ller from the roster in early October.
Heroic claims that stavn and jabbi initiated this change with an ultimatum after their performance at ESL Pro League.
According to Heroic, they agreed to stavn and jabbi’s ultimatum, which led to cadiaN’s benching.
The expectation was that in return, stavn and jabbi would extend their contracts with Heroic, which were set to expire in approximately 10 months.
However, no contracts were signed, and rumors surfaced about potential interest from Astralis in acquiring the services of stavn and jabbi.
Heroic has expressed a willingness to engage in discussions with organizations that appreciate the market value of their players.
Despite the ongoing uncertainty, Heroic’s primary ambition is to reinstate stavn and jabbi into the starting lineup.
The team’s performance staff has devised a plan to support their potential return to the organization.
In their official statement, Heroic highlighted the events leading up to these roster changes.
Stavn and jabbi had pushed for cadiaN’s removal after ESL Pro League, a move that took both cadiaN and Heroic’s management by surprise.
Mediation attempts were made, but the situation escalated to an ultimatum, forcing Heroic to make a choice between cadiaN and the rest of the team.
Stavn and jabbi agreed to extend their contracts if cadiaN was let go, and Heroic agreed to this condition.
However, on the same day that Heroic presented new contracts to stavn and jabbi, the players communicated their plans with Astralis.
These developments unfolded while Heroic still had almost 10 months left on their existing contracts.
Despite this, Heroic remains committed to the idea of bringing stavn and jabbi back into the fold.
To address the immediate gaps in their roster, Heroic has enlisted Peter “?dupreeh?” Rasmussen as a temporary replacement for cadiaN until the end of 2023.
For their upcoming matches in the Roobet Cup and Thunderpick World Championship, they will utilize the MOUZ NXT duo of William “?sirah?” Kj?rsgaard and Christoffer “?Chr1zN?” Storgaard.
However, the situation took an intriguing twist when stavn posted a cryptic tweet just hours after Heroic’s announcement, which some interpreted as a veiled criticism of the organization.
The tweet read, “Gotta love the world we live in. What is the saying? Truth always prevails.”
Gotta love the world we live in
What is the saying? Truth always prevails.— Martin Lund (@stavnCS) October 25, 2023
This saga has left fans uncertain about Heroic’s future in the Counter-Strike scene.
With cadiaN’s departure and the uncertainty surrounding stavn and jabbi, the team’s ability to remain competitive has been cast into doubt.
Heroic did debut with their revamped roster against Aurora in the Roobet Cup 2023’s Group A opener, securing a 2-1 victory despite fielding MOUZ NXT’s players.
However, their prospects for success appear uncertain given the turmoil within the organization.
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