Astralis would have ‘no second thoughts’ on offering HUNDEN an analyst role after ban expires

The Astralis organization is reportedly very interested in offering banned CS:GO coach Nicolai “HUNDEN” Petersen an analyst role in the future following the expiration of his current coaching ban from the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), according to a report by Dexerto’s Richard Lewis.

Astralis provided a statement to Lewis and Dexerto in response to anonymous sources saying that HUNDEN has already been working with the Astralis organization and its players in what is “believed to be a coaching or analytical capacity.”

According to the report, the work HUNDEN is purportedly doing with the organization would be prohibited by the conditions of his two-year coaching ban from ESIC. In 2021, ESIC handed HUNDEN a two-year ban for leaking “anti-strat material” to Astralis while he still coaching Heroic, with a reported move to Astralis on the horizon. HUNDEN had previously served an eight-month suspension for his use of the in-game spectator coaching bug.

One of the sources that spoke to Dexerto claimed that HUNDEN has been working with Astralis to help create tools and video lessons for the organization’s partnership with Aim Lab. Astralis confirmed that HUNDEN was working with the organization in regard to the Aim Lab project as a temporary contractor but denied that he was currently working with the team in any coaching or analytical role.

The Astralis organization acknowledged that he’d be interacting with players and be actively working in the main office, but said that this is only because the players are serving as “the main characters” of the content he’s helping develop for the Aim Lab project. Astralis said his contract will expire at the end of the month with the project finalized, but it is leaving the door open for him to re-join the organization in a more direct, competitive capacity after his ban expires in August 2023.

“We would like to comment in general, though, that once Mr. Petersen’s ban has expired, should we have the need, we would not have any second thoughts about offering him a position as an analyst or the like,” Astralis said to Dexerto. “Nor should any other esports organization. He should not be treated any different than any other coach or player who has received a temporary ban. Not during the ban and not after the ban has expired.

The Danish roster of Astralis is currently led by coach Martin “trace” Heldt and another former Heroic coach turned analyst in Frederik “LOMME” Nielsen.