CSGO pro gives opponents the middle finger, then loses 0-2

There are plenty of ways to flame in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, but one pro player opted for a classic during Tipsport Cup Prague.

Professional CSGO player Josef “MoriiSko” Maurenc formally apologized for flipping the bird at the enemy team. The incident occurred during a Tipsport Cup Prague match between Entropiq Prague and Bad News Eagles. While the move garnered attention and engaged the audience, the unkind gesture wasn’t well-received by the organizations. As a result, the Entropiq organization has publicly apologized for the player’s actions.

The bird was flipped during the group stage of Tipsport Cup Prague. During a brief flash to the player’s camera, MoriiSko is shown holding up his middle finger to the camera. He most likely did it as a statement against Entropiq Prague’s opponents, but his sudden eye contact with the camera means it could have been directed at the audience. 

We are leading our players to certain standards, that haven’t been met during our last match against @_badnewseagles.

We would like to apologise for our unsportsmanlike conduct.

We are sorry, and we thank you for understanding.

Let’s have a peaceful rematch in the future!

— Entropiq (@Entropiqteam) September 6, 2022

Either way, Entropiq issued a public apology through social media. The statement called the incident “unsportsmanlike conduct,” though it’s not clear if MoriiSko has been reprimanded or not. Entropiq Prague, which is a sister team of the main Entropiq team, went on to lose the decider match 0-2. Bad News Eagles will compete in the $40,000 playoffs which begin September 17.

Is flipping a middle finger against the rules of CSGO esports?

While flipping the bird isn’t explicitly against most tournament rules, showing a middle finger arguably qualifies as poor sportsmanship which some tournament organizers police.

The organizers of Tipsport Cup Prague have not commented on the incident involving MoriiSko’s middle finger, meaning it likely won’t take any action. However, many CSGO tournaments have sportsmanship clauses in their rulebooks. Trash talk happens in the pro scene, but it’s usually turned off for in-person events. Other esports have severely fined or even banned players for antagonizing opponents, but CSGO players have thicker skin than most.