Virtus.pro has released a statement in response to decision of the ESL to suspend teams with connections to the Russian government. The esports team has expressed that they cannot tolerate the behavior of ESL and said that what they are experiencing is an example of cancel culture.
Affected players, however, are still allowed to compete in the upcomign ESL Pro League provided that they do not represent their country or team.
Virtus.pro Statement on ESL Suspension
Virtus.pro has responded to their suspension in a statement posted on the team's official Twitter account.
"On March 2nd, ESL notified us that Virtus.pro and Gambit Esports have been withdrawn from ESL Pro League Season 15," reads the start of the statement.
The statement goes on to say that the reason behind their withdrawal from the Pro League is their alleged connection to the Russian government.
"However, there was quite different wording in private texting: even though we are not connected to the government, WE MAKE AN IMPRESSION of it being true," the statement reads.
Virtus.pro says that it cannot tolerate the kind of behavior that ESL showing and has stated that what they are experiencing is an example of cancel culture.
You can read the full statement below:
Related Article: BREAKING: Ukraine Encourages Esports Ban Against Russian Teams, Players
ESL Sanctions
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 15: A general view of the gaming stage during Day 1 of the E-League 2020 Season at ESL Studios on February 15, 2020 in Sydney, Australia.
Earlier this week, the ESL released a statement on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. In its statement, the esports operator expressed shock and sadness over what is happening.
"On the upcoming ESL Pro League, we made the decision that organizations with apparent ties to the Russian government, including individuals or organizations under alleged or confirmed EU sanctions related to the conflict, will not be allowed to be represented," ESL's statement reads.
Two teams, Virtus.pro and Gambit, were named as two teams identified by ESL.
The esports organizer has also decided to suspend scheduled competitions that are set to take place in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region. According to a report by PC Gamer, these locations include the following:
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Moldova
- Russia
- Tajikistan
- Uzbekistan
What This Means for Individual Players
According to the statement, the ESL believes that it is necessary to impose sanctions on individual players as it is not in the spirit of esports.
Virtus.pro and Gambit players have therefore been allowed to compete in the ESL Pro League under certain conditions. One of which is that the players must compete under a neutral name. This means that they are not allowed to represent their country or organizations on their uniforms and other applicable means.
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This article is owned by GameNGuide
Written by Isabella James