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Gambit Players to Compete in ESL Pro League Season 15 Under a ‘Neutral Name’
Gambit Esports has stated that their CS: GO team will compete in ESL Pro League Season 15. The organization has said that its team will adhere to the sanctions that ESL imposed on March 2 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Gambit’s participation in the ESL Pro League was at risk after ESL barred the organization and Virtus Pro from competing. This is due to the “apparent ties” of the organization to the Russian government. However, players can compete as long as they play under a neutral name. Additionally, they cannot wear attire that represents Russia, their orgs, or any of the orgs’ sponsors if they participate.
VP chastised ESL for the ban, but allowed the gamers to play under the moniker ‘Outsiders.’ Gambit took a little longer to confirm Dmitriy “sh1ro” Sokolov’s participation.
“Gambit Esports has been barred from participating in the ESL Pro League season 15, which will take place in Dusseldorf from March 9 to April 10,” according to the announcement.
“Our players are allowed to participate in the tournament under a neutral name. As an organization, we won’t hinder the possibility—the players, coaches, and managers have made an incredible effort to earn the right to participate in the tournament,” Gambit said.
— Gambit Esports (@GambitEsports) March 11, 2022
Gambit, in contrast to VP, did not condemn ESL in its statement. There have been other restrictions involving Russian-backed esports organizations. For instance, BLAST, one of ESL’s biggest competitors, barred Russian groups from participating in tournaments for now. Elisa Esports, a minor event organizer, also banned organizations from Russia from attending tournaments for the foreseeable future.
Team Liquid, GODSENT, BIG, Movistar Riders, and Party Astronauts have all been placed in Group C of the ESL Pro League season 15. The games will take place from March 23 to 27, with the top three clubs advancing to the playoffs.
What do you think about the sanctions imposed on organizations affiliated to Russia? Let us know here on our socials or in the comments section.
