Old G kicked from DPC for harassing admins

Old G quickly became the team to watch in Western Europe’s lower DPC division, but a shock ruling has sent the star-studded squad back to square one.

On May 8, 2023, PGL announced that Old G has been disqualified from the summer tour closed qualifier in the lower division of the WEU Dota Pro Circuit. The squad was originally guaranteed a spot in the qualifier after being relegated out, but it will now have to compete in the open qualifiers.

The surprise ruling stems from an incident involving major harassment of PGL staff, and it likely stemmed from a fan-favorite player’s social media post. Here’s what the announcement means for Old G’s DPC chances and the post that may have gotten the team in hot water.

Old G loses DPC spot after admins report harassment

The official announcement declares that a player on Old G incited harassment against a PGL admin after being informed of its tiebreaker disqualification, which has led to Old G being forced from the DPC.

In the post, PGL explained that Old G reacted poorly to being informed of its disqualification. In the last tour, the squad tied with PuckChamp for 6-7th place. The two teams were meant to play a tiebreaker, but Old G was unable to field a roster with less than two stand-ins. PuckChamp was award the victory and will remain in the lower division for the next tour.

While not confirmed, the harassment claim appears to be related to a social media post from Sébastien “Ceb” Debs, issued while the tiebreaker was being set up. In a tweet, Ceb called out not only PGL but the specific admin that was presiding over the issue. This is an uncommon move for esports pros, and OG’s infamously enthusiastic fanbase possibly swarmed the admin with harassment. 

two players standing in to help out major teams, not allowed to reschedule a game scheduled same time as major to keep our slot for div 2, not allowed to use two standins @pglesports @AnekoMerkki very fun stuff, provided 0 care / help besides stating the rules over & over again

— Ceb (@Ceb) April 26, 2023

This is a major setback for Old G, but the team could still compete in the next tour. It will have to enter the closed qualifier through the open qualifier, a much more arduous process. Even if it wins the open quals, it will still need to finish top two in the closed qualifier to join the professional league.

It’s possible that the team could disband in the wake of this announcement, which could lead to further fan outcry at tournament organizer PGL.