unjustified ban for single offence professionals.

E-sports is an expanding platform that brings many cultures together to enjoy the virtual side of sports.

Millions of people tune in to play and even spectate the e-sports scene of daily  tournaments and championships of different genres held all over the world.

Were at an age where this can be a career choice for a select number of people who put time and effort into being the best they can be, just like any sports it gets heated its gets competitive and there's always emotions involved.

But there's always a dark side to any sports whether it be performance enhancing drugs, tip offs or Match fixing etc. Even though its an e-sport these things still occur.

This time last year 4 team members from an orgonization representing Counter-Strike Global Offensive was involved in a match fix scandal, was banned from competing in VALVE affiliated tournaments and competitions on strict rules of not to handle the issue for another year.

These people made a last minute decision that ended there career, without being able to defend what they had worked for and put there other life plans on hold to take a chance at making a career in e-sports.

I don't agree with what they did its not right in any way shape or form, but the punishment is unjustified for a first offence with no rules on what would happen if caught Match fixing.

Whether its stealing, cheating or any form of advantage against your opponent it not true sportsmanship but people do make genuine mistakes and in this case I think they have realised what they did and deeply regret it.

Having heard from one mouth of another these team members have said they would do anything to get there professional status back, paying fines doing community service and just do I anything that would deem fit for an apology.

In some e-sports you have virtual items that cost genuine money ranging from $0.10 to $20,000 which can be bet on some sites to an extent, the Max bet for one item is around $60 and you can place 4 items a time.
These sites have no age limit and they open a lot of doors to young people Betting due to it being virtual items and therefore bring the chance of match fixing.

The 4 players who were banned for life for a first offence and low return throw against a team were sponsored by ibuypower or IBP.

Official article on HLTV.  http://www.hltv.org/news/14083-ex-ibp-banned-from-valve-majors

It was us as a community that lost out due to these making a bad decision, it was us the community that was shocked most but it us the community who want to see these players reborn and be able to rekindle there professional status and think it should be our say to chose if these players should be banned for life or not, the fact you held them clutching straws for a year to just drop there hopes and aspirations is inhuman and truly unjustified.

I myself love competitive e-sports and can fully understand why they did it and I forgive them, at the end of a hard day at work I can come home and see these guys battle it out in front of thousands of people getting the same satisfaction I get, the freedom it brings is amazing .

I'm not much of a writer and can honestly say I struggle writing this even tho English is my native language.

I hope this some how gets seen and can somehow get brought to the attention of VALVE corporation. And maybe rethink how serious there punishment is, give them a chance to be what you made them. Professionals at e-sport that you created.

Thanks for reading this and maybe passing it on, sorry if it made 0 sense and wasted your time.


Cheers from one e-sports fan to the next :)

Jake or jP.