Melany M. July 17, 2019
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive fans are mad at Team Vitality.
Vitality is getting attention and not for strong tournament results or dazzling plays from top star Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut. The French organization is under fire because fans are not happy with the team’s attitude at the ESEA Season 31: Global Challenge.
The controversy started in semifinals when Vitality faced Brazilian organization FURIA Esports. Vitality made a series of questionable decisions like purchasing weak weapons that ultimately led to a loss.
The community considered their attitude unprofessional and some fans are considering reporting the team for match-fixing.
Vitality’s captain Nathan ‘"NBK-" Schmit explained the situation.
“We weren’t allowed to forfeit this tournament otherwise we would lose the EPL slot too. Sad situation but now we are fully focused on [Intel Extreme Masters XIV Chicago] and will give it our all there, fully focused and ready to play our best CS,” NBK wrote on Twitter.
The team was forced to take part in the event just days after finishing their participation at the ESL One Cologne. At the event, Vitality came in second place against Team Liquid.
Despite the player’s attempts to shed some light into the situation, the community is taking a stance against the team. On Reddit, the contributors are reporting the team directly to Valve.
“Honestly this was by far the worst way to handle the situation. Really disrespectful and unprofessional for the esports scene as a whole,” someone responded to NBK’s tweet.
Valve is yet to issue any kind of response but it seems unlikely that Vitality will be punished for their behavior. Vitality is currently regarded as the second-best team in the world and is one of the favorites heading to the IEM Chicago.
The team still has a massive fan base that continue to support them despite the episode at the ESEA Season 31: Global Challenge. Vitality has had one of the busiest schedules this season, with the team competing in a number of tournaments around the world.
IEM Chicago kicks off on July 18.