PTime removed from Dota 2 at EWC 26 as ESIC investigates coach and captain
Filipino organization PlayTime Esports has been removed from the Esports World Cup 2026 Dota 2 competition following an intervention by the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) and a ruling by the Esports Foundation and EWC.
Following a postponement of the PTime vs. Vici Gaming Survival Stage matchup on July 14, ESIC announced that it was actively investigating two members of the South American-based PTime organization, Team Captain Gonzalo “DarkMago” Herrera and coach Juan “Vintage” Angulo, and that the pair would be barred from competing or participating in the EWC going forward. In the early hours of July 15, it was revealed that the whole team would be removed from the EWC.
PTime out of the EWC as integrity issues investigated by ESIC
Viewers watching Dota 2 at EWC 26 on July 14 would see their livestream cut off early and the schedule sent into turmoil as the PTime vs. VG was postponed for an initially unknown reason. A social post on the EWC Extra account revealed that it was delayed due to “An integrity issue that was identified and referred for review.”
Late on July 14, the Esports Integrity Commission, who had partnered with the EWC as the latter’s official integrity oversight, released a statement about PTime:
“The Esports Integrity Commission, the integrity partner of the Esports World Cup 2026, has issued provisional suspensions to Juan “Vintage” Angulo and Oswaldo “DarkMago” Herrera, two participants associated with the PTime Dota 2 team, in connection with an ongoing integrity investigation arising from the Esports World Cup 2026. With immediate effect, Vintage and DarkMago are prohibited from participating, directly or indirectly, in EWC26 and all ESIC Member events while the investigation remains ongoing. In Vintage’s case, the interim measure also prevents him from undertaking coaching, management, strategic, team-facing or other support functions connected with participating teams or players.”
ESIC stressed that the investigation was ongoing and that this sanction didn’t represent a declaration of guilt. The organization went on to state that the EWC and the Esports Foundation would release a separate statement about any further sanctions against PTime.
Vintage pictured at PGL Wallachia Season 1. Image Credit: PGL.
On the morning of July 15, that sanction was announced: PTime were fully removed from the EWC, and their game against Vici Gaming was declared a 0-2 loss. VG advance to face 1W in the Survival Stage bracket.
It’s unknown if the removal will affect PTime’s expected earnings at the highest prize-pool Dota 2 event on the calendar.
The accusation also paints a black mark on South American Dota 2 and throws an already contentious region into more turmoil. All of PTime’s players and their coach hail from Peru, and many previously competed for teams based in the region. The team qualified for EWC through direct invite thanks to EPT points, rather than the single South American qualifier spot.
Fans and analysts are worried that connections to “322” as the Dota 2 often calls match-fixing, would cause tournament organizers to cut already slim SA region invites for tournaments and that any ruling could affect young PTime carry Máximo “Wits” Orozco Alza. The 18 year old is a pubstar from Peru competing at his first EWC. The controversy could affect a career that’s just beginning.
Dota 2 at EWC continues until Sunday, July 19.
Featured Image: DarkMago at PGL Wallachia Season 6. Credit: PGL.
Michael is a eight-year veteran of the games writing space, but has being playing them for as long as he can remember. With bylines across the internet, he’s used his expertise to cover esports, prediction markets, mainstream gaming, streamers, and more besides.
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