Astralis’ in-game leader gla1ve has opted to go on medical leave, the organization announced today. New hire Jakob “JUGi” Hansen will take his place on the CS:GO roster for the DreamHack Masters Spring 2020 event, which is set to kick off today.
Gla1ve opened up about this decision to take a break, citing symptoms of “stress and burnout.” After talking with Kasper Hvidt, Astralis’ director of sports, and his personal doctor, gla1ve has chosen to take time off. The in-game leader said he’ll focus his efforts on recovering to 100 percent over the “next three months.”
Astralis has been open about its desire to establish a deep CS:GO roster. Hvidt previously mentioned that he wants two players for every role on the team. The organization’s approach to physical and mental health has helped consolidate Astralis’ dominance as a lasting legacy rather than a flash in a pan.
Hvidt added that Astralis has helped to manage gla1ve’s condition consistently by minimizing his tasks in and outside of games, but it wasn’t enough to avoid an upcoming absence. The director of sports reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to player health within Astralis, where “all players can use their time and resources” in the best way possible. He hopes this situation can be entirely avoided in the future.
Astralis’ coach, Danny “zonic” Sørensen, said while it’s sad to see the team’s main IGL go, he’s “also happy that [gla1ve] gets to take an actual break. Zonic and the team remain “fully focused on the tasks ahead.”
JUGi has been regarded as one of the most promising AWPers in the Danish scene, but there’s no confirmation as to what role he’ll be undertaking for the upcoming competition. Hvidt admitted in an interview with HLTV that he might be called upon to fill in other roles. JUGi certainly has big shoes to fill, but Astralis is more than capable of switching things around.
The Danish organization has been trialing Magisk as its IGL, according to CS:GO reporter neLendirekt. Hvidt also said there are “more potential co-IGLs” on the roster due to each player’s “deep tactical understanding.”
The first series for Astralis’ new-look roster will be against Heroic in Group A of the DreamHack Springs Masters 2020 kicking off later today.
Published: May 19, 2020 06:49 am