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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Their victory over MOUZ in the grand final, featuring triumphs on Mirage (13-7) and Nuke (22-18), showcased FaZe’s resilience and strategic prowess.
CHAMPIONS IN CHINA
#CAC2023 | #FaZeUp pic.twitter.com/sPTJcxRxpG
— FaZe Clan (@FaZeClan) November 12, 2023
The grand final proved to be a challenging test, particularly on Nuke, where MOUZ initially led 12-6.
However, FaZe demonstrated mental fortitude and staged an impressive comeback, with players like H?vard “rain” Nygaard and Helvijs “broky” Saukants stepping up.
Despite MOUZ’s efforts in extra rounds, FaZe eventually secured victory in the third overtime, extending their winning streak to 15 games.
In a post-game interview, in-game leader Finn “karrigan” Andersen addressed questions about the team’s future amid rumours of roster changes.
“It’s hard to say, we have no idea what’s happening, and we just have to keep enjoying,” karrigan said.
“I knew when CS2 came out, we were going to re-find the happiness of playing with each other and grinding the game.”
FaZe’s triumph was not only marked by their collective strength but also individual brilliance, with Estonian star Robin “ropz” Kool earning the MVP title for his outstanding contributions throughout the tournament.
Ropz’s consistent performance and pivotal role in FaZe’s success highlighted his skill in the CS2 era, securing his fifth MVP award.
As FaZe Clan celebrates their victory, uncertainties about the team’s future linger.
Nevertheless, the focus remains on the joy of playing together and the shared happiness that Counter-Strike 2 has brought them.
FaZe’s legacy in the CS2 landscape is evident, leaving an indelible mark for fans and competitors alike.
]]>There wouldn’t have been many people that had FaZe and NaVi playing off in an elimination series on the final day of the Legends Stage in their predictions; however, that is exactly what happened after both outfits lost winnable matches on the opening day.
Going into the clash, Finn “karrigan” Andersen and his squad were ranked as the world no.3, while Denis “electroNic” Sharipov and his teammates went in as the world no.4.
Across the server there were superstar matchups in most categories, with star snipers Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev and Helvijs “broky” Saukants battling it out with the AWPs, and rising-star riflers Valtery “b1t” Vakhovsky and Robin “ropz” Kool providing entry frags and dominating with AK47s.
The series started on FaZe Clan’s map pick of Overpass, where NaVi jumped out to a 9-6 halftime lead, and they held onto that buffer until they took the map 16-13.
NaVi’s map pick, Mirage, was very one-sided as FaZe went into halftime with a massive 11-4 lead, and it didn’t take long for them to wrap up the map (16-5) and send the series to the third map, Anubis.
After the first half of play, the two teams couldn’t be split, with NaVi taking an 8-7 lead.
FaZe took the first round of their CT side, but electroNic and co. went onto win the next six to put them up 14-8, only two rounds away from taking the series.
When they took a 15-9 lead it appeared that the series was done and dusted, but no one told broky, as he put his team on his back to win six straight rounds and take the series to overtime.
From there, it was clear that the likes of s1mple and electroNic had lost all faith, and FaZe quickly finished the map and series to send NaVi home from the final CS:GO Major.
Following the blockbuster series of the day, we saw Fnatic take the first map before being reverse-swept by a rampant Into The Breach squad, who gave up only 12 more rounds as they took the second (16-8) and third (16-4) maps.
The final match of the Legends Stage featured world no.10 Ninjas in Pyjamas and world no.19 Apeks, with the latter side winning 2-0 after going to overtime on both Vertigo and Ancient.
With the Legends Stage in the rear-vision mirror, we look ahead to the Champions Stage.
The remaining eight teams will enter the final playoff single-elimination bracket, with the quarterfinals set to begin on Thursday.
Quarterfinal matches
- Heroic ($1.66) vs FaZe Clan ($2.10) | Thursday @ 15:00 CET
- Team Vitality ($1.11) vs Into The Breach ($6.00) | Thursday @ 19:00 CET
- Monte ($1.61) vs GamerLegion ($2.20) | Friday @ 15:00 CET
- Team Liquid ($1.40) vs Apeks ($2.75) | Friday @ 19:00 CET
G2 began their main event with a best-of-one series against Team Vitality on Saturday, when they were beaten in a thrilling 29-round match.
The world no.3 was then defeated by Bad News Eagles in the second round by the same 16-13 scoreline, resulting in them dropping into the 0-2 pool for an elimination fixture with FURIA.
FaZe Clan have taken the long way through the RMR, Challengers Stage and now the Legends Stage for this final CS:GO Major.
The world no.5 claimed the last spot in the Major by taking out the Last Chance Qualifier, and now the European squad will have to win three straight series to make the playoffs later this week.
After drawing Heroic as their opening opponent in the Legends Stage on Saturday, the odds were stacked against FaZe, and as the all-Danish squad destroyed them 16-7, it appeared as though the 2022 PGL Antwerp Major winners were going to bounce back against Into The Breach with a steadying win.
However, the team ranked 22 spots lower than FaZe brought their A-game and took Inferno 16-12, dropping Finn “karrigan” Andersen and his squad into an elimination clash with 9INE on Sunday.
Fortunately for G2 and FaZe supporters, both rosters produced some of their best Counter-Strike to win 2-0 over FURIA and 9INE, respectively, and eliminate those two teams from the tournament.
At the other end of the spectrum, Heroic and Team Vitality became the first two teams to qualify for the Champions Stage, after they completed their own undefeated 3-0 runs across Saturday and Sunday with wins over Team Liquid and Monte in best-of-three promotion series.
Heroic and Vitality came into the BLAST.tv Paris Major as the world’s top two CS:GO teams, and they would have to be the two clear favourites to be crowned Major champions at the end of the week.
Round four of the Legends Stage will feature another six matches on Monday, with three 1-2 pool series where the losers will be eliminated and three 2-1 pool series which will see the winners promoted to the Champions Stage.
-
1-2 Pool BO3 (Elimination Series)
- ENCE ($1.53) vs Ninjas in Pyjamas ($2.37) @ 11:30 CET
- FaZe Clan ($1.30) vs Bad News Eagles ($3.40) @ 11:30 CET
- Fnatic ($4.00) vs G2 Esports ($1.22) @ 15:30 CET
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2-1 Pool BO3 (Promotion Series)
- Monte ($3.40) vs Natus Vincere ($1.30) @ 15:30 BST
- Apeks ($1.57) vs GamerLegion ($2.25) @ 19:30 CET
- Team Liquid ($1.25) vs Into The Breach ($3.75) @ 19:30 CET
The in-game leader made the declaration shortly after hoisting the cup at the Intel Extreme Masters Cologne, where he led FaZe to a 3-2 series victory over Natus Vincere in the final. With that win, they overthrew NAVI at the top of the world rankings.
“We’re the best team in the world when you look at the results of this season, four trophies to us, one to Cloud9, one to NAVI,” he said.
“There’s no discussion that we’re the best team in the world and I’m super happy to see NAVI perform at this level so far.”
NAVI and Cloud9 are some of the biggest teams in CS: GO, which explains why the IGL is drawing comparisons to them. C9 have not had a great 2022, and it has been reflected in their results. Outside of winning the IEM Dallas, they have had average displays for the bulk of the season.
NAVI, on the other hand, have been impressive. But, they have failed to secure victories when it matters most, especially against FaZe.
They have squared off against the North American team in the grand finals of the PGL Antwerp Major and the just-concluded IEM Cologne. Both games ended in favor of FaZe.
Although karrigan realizes that it is almost an unrealistic experience, he is determined to in the Intel Grand Slam.
“It hasn’t even gone through my head what we’ve done this season. We won four of the biggest trophies there is, ESL Pro League with all of the best teams in the world, IEM Katowice, IEM Cologne, and the Major,” he said.
“It’s not really realistic, I’ll have a drink tonight and start thinking about how insane everything is.
“The main goal for next season is the Intel Grand Slam. When and how we win it doesn’t even matter, hopefully, we’ll have a slow start to the season, it’ll be intense but we’ll do our best to keep up the same performances.”
To win the Intel Grand Slam and a US$1 million bonus, FaZe will have to win four of 10 consecutive events in the IEM circuit. So far, they have won IEM Katowice, ESL Pro League Season 15, and IEM Cologne.
FaZe have six opportunities to get the job done, including the 2022 Rio Major. If they pull it off, they will join NAVI, Astralis, and Team Liquid as the only teams to have won the Intel Grand Slam.
Karrigan and co. have four weeks to rest up and prepare for the second half of the season. They will resume action in the BLAST Premier Fall Groups starting August 19.
FaZe are one of two teams who have secured qualification to the 2022 BLAST Premier World Final. They sealed their spot after winning the ESL Pro League 15 and Antwerp Major.
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