The Dota 2 scene was unpleasantly greeted with groundbreaking information days earlier than The Worldwide 15, with LGD Gaming’s prodigy Santiago “TaiLung” Agüero Gustavo getting banned from the match and all future PGL occasions for all times.
The 17-year-old Peruvian was closely suspected of potential aggressive integrity points – so dangerous that his personal group needed to reportedly snitch on him.
A case like this has, in fact, despatched shockwaves to the group, significantly these in South America. Filipe “Astini” Ribeiro, a Brazilian Dota 2 coach, had rather a lot to say in regards to the matter, so I made a decision to shoot him a message, and he responded.
He didn’t maintain again, and actually went even additional than I anticipated – issues go even deeper than match-fixing in South America. Right here’s what he needed to say.
Did TaiLung know what he was doing?
Astini is a reasonably high-profile coach from South America, having labored with quite a few groups from the area, however he has additionally gone worldwide. You’ve in all probability heard of him from his most notable stint with PARIVISION, the place he helped the group place within the prime three at TI14 final 12 months.
He’s labored with quite a few South American gamers earlier than, however Astini informed me he had barely interacted with TaiLung instantly. He solely remembers one attainable interplay.
Astini’s pal, CaioGordo, informed him about Osito (TaiLung’s former in-game identify) and Máximo “Wits” Orozco Alza (now PlayTime’s carry) once they have been 14 and 15 years previous. He did a 30-minute teaching session with a group that had one of many two prospects, and he can’t even recall which one.
Quick ahead to his most up-to-date ban, and lots in the neighborhood have sympathized with TaiLung. Folks argued that perhaps {the teenager} didn’t perceive the results, or may very well be influenced by others into doing what he did,
Effectively, Astini doesn’t purchase it.
“This ‘was only a child’ narrative is a really weak argument to defend criminals,” he informed me. “The most important streamers in Peru have been banned for matchfixing. They know what occurs. They simply suppose they received’t be caught and that the risk-reward ratio pays off.”
Based on him, TaiLung wasn’t this naive teenager who discovered himself in a foul scenario – the child knew what he was moving into.
Why is South America plagued with match-fixing?
TaiLung’s case isn’t the primary time one thing like this has occurred in South America. Actually simply final month, we had PlayTime’s scandal involving Gonzalo “DarkMago” Herrera and Juan “Classic” Angulo whereas they have been competing on the Esports World Cup.
When you’re a Peruvian professional like TaiLung or DarkMago, enjoying for prime squads like LGD Gaming and PlayTime, you’re in all probability getting paid salaries in USD. Getting such salaries ought to already be greater than sufficient to place you in a cushty spot dwelling in South America. So, why do they nonetheless get entangled?
“Peru esports tradition is to suppose quick time period,” Astini mentioned. “Even when they’re making a great wage, match-fixing will all the time pay extra. However they often begin on Tier 3/Tier 2 the place they don’t make a lot cash. They usually keep eternally.”
A second disaster: dishonest
Essentially the most fascinating half about my chat with Astini was his perception on cheaters in South America.
Match-fixing has been the recent subject, however in accordance with him, it’s not the one factor dragging the area down.
“Dishonest can also be an enormous downside not solely in SA, but in addition in NA. Certain, NA is a lifeless area for 99 causes, however one of many greatest ones is that there are lots of Peruvians utilizing cheats in Open Qualifiers to go to Closed Qualifiers, then match-fix there,” he defined.
“So, new expertise in NA won’t ever go previous Open Qualifiers in the event that they meet the mistaken Peruvian group on their path.”
For these with restricted betting information: you’ll be able to’t match-fix in any sequence. Bookies received’t open markets for Open Qualifier matches, the place issues can get very sussy. Nevertheless, when you make it to the Closed Qualifiers for an enormous occasion like TI, many websites will truly open the gates.
So, Astini claims Peruvians have been dishonest in Open Qualifiers – even taking part in North American ones – to work their approach up the place the dough is at. “Beforehand, you wanted to be no less than considerably good on the sport to match-fix, to make it to a match to repair,” Astini mentioned. “However now they qualify by hacking, then match-fix.”
He was fast to level out he’s not simply speculating both. “Earlier than folks name me loopy, there was an ESIC ban wave made on Peruvian scripters and hackers lately.”
Workforce Falcons coach Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling additionally suspected TaiLung of doubtless utilizing scripts or a macro as a result of he was toggling his Armlet of Mordiggian on Huskar nearly completely.
I requested Astini if he agreed.
“I don’t have a closing opinion on TaiLung utilizing scripts. What I can inform you is it’s very seemingly,” Astini mentioned. He then went on to inform me that TaiLung may be very shut buddies with a specific participant he believes used cheats.
Who’s saving South America now?
When you’ve been following the skilled Dota 2 scene this season, you can’ve simply seen that TaiLung was set as much as be the area’s subsequent celebrity. So, who’s going to avoid wasting the area now?
Me and Astini have been in fast settlement – Wits, PlayTime’s carry, who performed alongside each TaiLung and DarkMago earlier than they obtained caught.
At solely 18, Wits has been placing in some critical work for PlayTime, but it surely’s even crazier to suppose that his progress may have been derailed by enjoying with the 2 banned gamers all through his profession.
I imply, after breaking free from these chains, Wits instantly received Video games of the Future 2026, a million-dollar match.
“Wits deserves all of the reward,” Astini mentioned. “All of the vitality the Peruvian group places into attempting to guard the hackers and match-fixers ought to be put into praising this man. Scofield, Wits, Elmisho – F*CKING LEGENDS!”
As for whether or not the area can truly recuperate from back-to-back scandals, Astini is surprisingly optimistic, so long as we proceed clearing folks out.
He mentioned: “Quick time period, it would harm a bit. But when the responsible guys, and I swear to you it’s no less than half the playerbase on Closed Qualifiers, get punished, it’ll open house for brand spanking new expertise. Lengthy-term, it is going to be good for the area. And once more, not solely SA, but in addition NA.”
Bans apart, the South American scene has appeared fairly promising over the previous month, so I can see the place his hope is coming from. PlayTime has been wanting nice for the reason that complete ordeal, and Wits has been successful the hearts of many.
Now our eyes ought to flip to LGD Gaming, who’ll be repping South America at TI15 in a number of days.
