After its huge win at StarLadder Minor, Team Aster faces a bigger problem going to ESL One Major.
Team Aster bested Alliance at the grand finals of StarLadder ImbaTV Minor. The Chinese team took the last golden ticket to ESL One Los Angeles 2020. However, Pan “Fade” Yi, Chyuan “ChYuan” Ng, and Song “Sccc” Chun might not be able to fly to California for the event.
In his Weibo post, Team Aster’s captain Fade told fans that the team is finding it difficult to secure the required visas for travel to the event.
Team Aster planned to apply for a US visa in the Chinese Embassy. However, the embassy stopped issuing visas due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The team will try to explore other options in securing a US Visa. The team could apply in Ukraine, but its government might need at least 14 days of a quarantine period before issuing a visa. And if Ukraine is out, the option to secure a visa from another country may not be feasible.
ESL One Los Angeles group stage will begin in five days. The small interval between the minor and major event puts minor champions at a logistical disadvantage.
Fans lauded Team Aster for playing its best at the minor event despite knowing beforehand that the players might not secure their visas.
Playing at a Dota Pro Circuit major event without two cores and a captain will paralyze the team. Even if Team Aster manages to get substitute players in time, the team will still be at a huge disadvantage.
If Team Aster decided not to play, Minor runner-up Alliance will most likely take its place at the major event. Team Aster hasn’t made any official announcements about its visa issues and possible roster change.
Visa application issues are prevalent in the Dota 2 scene. The COVID-19 outbreak worsens the situation, especially for Chinese teams.
Recently, Team Adroit revealed that fans will not see captain Marvin “Boombacs” Rushton in action at ESL One Los Angeles. Boombacs’ visa was denied and Team Adroit had to find a replacement a few days before the event
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