Tournament organizer Perfect World has lifted PARIVISION’s disqualification ban from the Shanghai Major EU Regional Major Rankings (RMR). This decision follows a successful appeal lodged by PARIVISION’s coach Ivan Kochugov (F_1N) that saw the team come back to the competition.
With the overturning of the disqualification, there will be no EU Last Chance Qualifier, which was supposed to be held on August 27. Team KOI, Monte and BLEED were to take part in this qualifier which will not be held anymore as PARIVISION is back in the RMR and the necessity of the qualifier has been eliminated. PARIVISION was banned from playing as there was footage of F_1N who had a lifetime ban from valve events rejoicing with the team.
After the original discussions resulting in disqualification of PARIVISION for having a permanently banned coach participate in the qualifiers, we have today been given an updated decision. This is based on a newly communicated ESIC appeal process that Ivan Kochugov (F_1N)…
— CS_PerfectWorld (@CS_PerfectWorld) August 27, 2024
F_1N’s ban lifted after successful ESIC appeal
Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) conducted the appeal process that led to the removal of PARIVISION disqualification. F_1N and thirty-six other coaches were suspended in 2020 after it was found that he used the coaching bug in six official tournaments. This suspension resulted in a permanent ban from Valve events and an almost nine-month ban from events organized by ESIC member organizations. However, this ban was lifted after the “special evaluation” of an appeal submitted four years after the initial ban.
The appeal was reviewed by ESIC’s Independent Appeal Chair, who concluded that there was powerful evidence in support of F_1N. This information was conveyed to Valve, who agreed to the amendment of F_1N’s status. None of this information reached Perfect World at that time and so PARIVISION was initially disqualified.
Perfect World reinstates PARIVISION for Shanghai Major
As soon as Perfect World was informed about the F_1N’s status, they promptly canceled the EU RMR ban on PARIVISION. The team is now ready to take part in the Shanghai Major and hence is being re-admitted to the tournament. Valve’s Major rule states that no member of the participating teams is allowed to be physically or virtually present during the online matches, but that wasn’t the cause of the first disqualification of the team. Attention was given rather to F_1N’s status as a banned coach.
The lifting of the disqualification ban on PARIVISION and the consequent cancellation of the EU Last Chance Qualifier have affected the competitive picture in the run-up to the Shanghai Major. It is not clarified within what timeline this appeal process takes place and how it is communicated to Valve. However, this decision has allowed PARIVISION to reclaim its tournament spot, changing the path for other teams in the competition.
