Look Sports Media – Riot Games has issued a statement addressing serious allegations of match-fixing and cheating within Valorant Challengers North America, following a bombshell video by Shopify Rebellion’s Sean "sgares" Gares. The video, titled "The Dark Side of Competitive Valorant," detailed claims of underground gambling rings influencing matches in the region’s second-tier competitive scene. Gares’s exposé, released over the weekend, quickly prompted Riot’s official response.
Riot’s Global Head of Valorant Esports, Leo Faria, confirmed that internal investigations are underway, stating, "We take all allegations extremely seriously and have been collecting information since they were first shared with us in early May. We have also engaged our integrity partners at IBIA, Sportradar, GRID, and others, to ensure a comprehensive and robust investigation."
While acknowledging the importance of whistleblowers like Gares, Faria emphasized the need for concrete evidence: "Whistleblowers play an important role, and while we value community reports, only evidence-based investigations can lead to action. Public sharing of information may lead to individuals tampering with the investigation and jeopardizing its outcome."
Related Post
Gares’s video focuses on a user named "bray," allegedly involved in tempting Challenger players to throw matches for monetary gain. The video also highlights potential evidence against former Blue Otter players Adam "Fair" Elharoun and Bob "Bob" Tran, accused of cheating against Shopify Rebellion and intentionally throwing a match against Burger Boys. Following the allegations, Bob, now with FlyQuest RED, has been benched pending an internal investigation. This decision comes amidst criticism of FlyQuest’s handling of a previous incident involving transphobic remarks from a Marvel Rivals player.
The Blue Otter players have since released a joint statement on Twitter (now X), vehemently denying the allegations and highlighting their negative impact. They also announced plans to release a video directly addressing Gares’s claims. The situation remains fluid, with Riot’s investigation ongoing and the Valorant community anxiously awaiting further developments. The stakes are high, with the integrity of the competitive scene hanging in the balance.
Leave a Comment