Omega Esports banned from all Valve-sponsored events due to match-fixing

Before the first tour of the 2021-2022 DPC even has time to begin, Filipino organization Omega Esports is already in hot water.

Omega has been banned from all Valve-sponsored events due to match-fixing, thus losing its Division One slot in the Southeast Asia Regional League, tournament organizer Beyond the Summit announced today.

Ramzi “Ramz” Bayhaki, Lee “Forev” Sang-don, and Liew “Eren” Jun Jie, members of Omega’s current Dota 2 roster that were confirmed less than a week ago, were not implicated.

Six members of Omega’s previous roster—players Dave Hioro Miyata, Prince Daculan, Patt “Piolz” Piolo Dela Cruz, Van Jerico Manalaysay, Ryniel “Zenki” Keit Calvez, and coach Chris “CTY” Ian Francis Maldo—were implicated in the scandal. Two of them, Prince and Zenki, as well as the team’s coach, CTY, were set to compete with Omega in the upcoming DPC tour. Team Execration, who recruited Van to be its new off laner, will be allowed to fill in its open player spot and continue competing.

Omega’s slot will be filled by Indonesian team BOOM Esports, who were relegated to Division Two last season after finishing seventh in Division One. The slot vacated by BOOM will be filled through an additional closed qualifier held on Nov. 26.

Update Nov. 23 7:24am CT: BTS announced that the closed qualifier is a two-match, single-elimination bracket between three teams. The first will take place between the semifinal losers of the second open qualifier and the winner will take on the runner-up of the qualifier. The second open qualifier is still in progress.