Riot Video games’ World Head of Valorant Esports, Leo Faria, has issued an announcement following allegations of match-fixing points in Challengers North America.
This follows after Shopify Rise up common supervisor and content material creator Sean ‘sgares’ Gares delivered to mild allegations of ‘match-fixing, dishonest and underground playing rings,’ in North America’s second tier of aggressive Valorant.
Over the weekend, Gares revealed a video virtually an hour lengthy titled “The Darkish Aspect of Aggressive Valorant.” Then on the identical day, not lengthy after the video’s launch, Riot issued its personal official assertion.
Within the assertion, Faria pressured that Riot’s inner investigations are effectively underway: “We take all allegations extraordinarily significantly and have been gathering info since they have been first shared with us in early Might.
“Now we have additionally taken proactive steps by partaking our integrity companions at IBIA, Sportradar, GRID, and others, to make sure a complete and sturdy investigation.”
Whereas Gares isn’t straight talked about within the assertion, Fares did acknowledge those that have been updating the neighborhood, however says Riot are in search of concrete proof:
“Whistleblowers play an vital function in conditions like this, and whereas we worth and encourage neighborhood reviews, solely evidence-based investigations can result in motion.
“Public sharing of data could result in people tampering with the investigation and jeopardising its end result.”
Regardless of that, Gares’ video continues to be public. The piece media focuses on a person known as ‘bray’ who Gares claims tempted Challenger gamers into throwing matches for cash.
As a part of these allegations, Gares highlighted what he believes is perhaps potential proof towards two former Blue Otters gamers, Adam ‘Truthful’ Elharoun and Bob ‘Bob’ Tran, who he accuses of dishonest towards Shopify Revellion and throwing a match deliberately towards Burger Boys.
The latter participant, Bob, is now part of FlyQuest RED, however the crew introduced they’ve benched him following the allegations and can conduct their very own inner investigations.
This resolution was met with some backlash as FlyQuest didn’t punish considered one of their Marvel Rivals gamers for transphobic remarks final week.
In my seven years of esports writing, I’ve introuduced esports protection to newspapers, interviewed a few of the greatest names within the trade, and pushed viewers mad with the puns in my YouTube scripts. I’m most happy with the latter.
