ESIC to issue almost 100 new sanctions to CS:GO spectator bug participants, including 3 coaches to be ‘provisionally suspended’ from PGL Antwerp Major

The Esports Integrity Commission announced today that it is imminently issuing almost 100 new sanctions to individuals who have used one of three variants of the infamous spectator bug while coaching professional CS:GO.

ESIC has also announced that it has provisionally suspended three coaches who are attending the PGL Antwerp Major because they were using “the more serious variants” of the spectator bug. The identities of the three coaches suspended have not been revealed yet.

ESIC describes the three variants as such:

• The “static” spectator bug. Placed a coach in a random position on the map with free control over their viewpoint. “Moderate to high level of competitive integrity risk,” according to the ESIC Commissioner. Affects 47 participants who were not among the 37 charged in 2020.
• The “free-roam” spectator bug. Enabled by the user to fly around the map with complete control, more akin to a cheat than a bug. Far more serious than the other two variants. Three participants, all of which are provisionally suspended.
• The “third-person” spectator bug. Allowed the participant to observe the game from a locked third-person view of their team’s players. Triggered by a server software issue on “two particular CS:GO tournament platforms.” Low risk to competitive integrity. Affects 47 participants and affected less than 100 total rounds.

Those who used the “static” bug will be punished with sanctions similar to those used in the 2020 findings that are dependent on the number of rounds affected in addition to other factors, ranging from four to 36 months. For the “third-person” bug users, they will be hit with reduced sanctions: 30 days banned per round bugged. But the ESIC said that at least one coach at the PGL Antwerp Major who used the “third-person” variant will be allowed to continue work at the event.

The ESIC commissioner said that the three participants who used the “free-roam” spectator big will be subject to penalties determined by the “Cheating Offenses” section of the Code of Conduct, which “may carry a sanction of up to 24 months subject to the discretion of the Commissioner.” The ESIC is provisionally suspending the three participants from “all ESIC Member events,” which includes the upcoming PGL Antwerp Major.