[eSports] KQLY, Sf VAC banned:Titan & Epsilon disqualified from DreamHack Winter

[itsConnor_]

Titan and Epsilon have been disqualified from DreamHack Winter following the VAC bans handed to Hovik "KQLY" Tovmassian and Gordon "Sf" Giry, the event's organisers have confirmed.

Questions about Titan's and Epsilon's places at the Swedish major were immediately raised after Hovik "KQLY" Tovmassian and Gordon "Sf" Giry were caught in Valve's web as the latest wave of VAC bans struck the CS:GO scene today.

To replace the two French teams, a LAN qualifier will take place on Saturday at Inferno Online Stockholm with four Europeans teams in attendance, all of whom will be flown by Valve itself.

DreamHack is currently reaching out to teams potentially interested in attending this qualifier, and the participants' list will be revealed shortly. The tournament will use a single-elimination format, with every match being played in a best-of-three mode.

Source: HLTV.
See reaction on reddit: KQLY VAC ban
Sf VAC ban
DHW disqualification

[TheHuntingHunter]

It's honestly sad to see three pro players caught cheating. Makes me question who else is out there just waiting to get caught.

[Eternal_Jamie]

Seems pointless given it'd be impossible to cheat in the actual event, but I guess that's what large prizes do, entice people to cheat.

[itsConnor_]

UPDATE:
Following today's last call qualifiers, Copenhagen Wolves have qualified, beating 3DMAX in a very close 2-1 (7-16, 16-12, 16-1) series and so too have Flipsid3 Tactics, beating London Conspiracy 2-0 (16-13,16-13).

As Pimp said, it was the 'biggest match of my career', with both teams now receiving the $50,000 sticker money plus any prize money they get (at least $2,000 if eliminated in groups, then up to $100,000).

The groups these two teams will be put in will be decided in a best of 1 match. A pretty important match as the winner will be put in a group with Dignitas, iBUYPOWER and PENTA, whereas the loser will have to go against Virtus.pro and Na`Vi (and myXMG), almost impossible to get out of.

Seems pointless given it'd be impossible to cheat in the actual event, but I guess that's what large prizes do, entice people to cheat.

Actually, due to the nature of the cheat, it was entirely possible to cheat at LAN events and KQLY may have used it to cheat at the $250,000 ESL One Cologne event in August, in which they progressed to the semi-finals, taking home $22,000 + $50,000 from sticker money, I believe.

It's honestly sad to see three pro players caught cheating. Makes me question who else is out there just waiting to get caught.

Should be interesting, I'm sure there's more..