BREAKING: 3 MDL-PH players get 3-year suspensions for match-fixing

League officials in the Philippines’ development league for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has sanctioned 3 players for engaging in match-fixing.

In a statement released Thursday night, the league has suspended Jhonjie Paul “Jiee” dela Rosa of TNCZ4, and now ex-RSG El Ganador players Raven “Aeris” Arellano and Christian John “Nyija” Calantoc.

MDL Philippines organizers say the ban on Jiee, Nyija, and Aeris will last for 3 years, from May 2, 2024 to April 30, 2027. This covers MDL Philippines, MPL Philippines, and all MOONTON-endorsed events, effectively banning them from playing professionally in the Philippines’ biggest esports league for the time period prescribed.

This was after MDL Philippines league operations concluded their investigations on the incident and confirmed that Jiee committed attempts to throw a game, while Nyija and Aeris “admitted to proceeding with the match-fixing in their match against Smart Omega Neos last 24 April 2024.”

MDL Philippines investigators also confirmed that Smart Omega Neos was unaware of what had happened. TNC Z4 and RSG El Ganador have been given warnings from league operations and both had already committed to cooperating with league authorities to strengthen the management of both teams’ operations.

RSG El Ganador had earlier terminated Nyija and Aeris’ MDL Philippines contracts outright, citing their attempts to fix matches as grounds for their removal.

“Allegations of match-fixing are taken seriously, and we vehemently contest any implication of involvement. Our team upholds the integrity of esports and conducts its affairs with transparency and accountability,” El Ganador earlier said in its statement.

Earlier, TNCZ4 also suspended Jiee from all team activities.

“We believe that this suspension is necessary to uphold the integrity of our organization and the broader gaming community,” Z4 Esports co-founder JC “King Cosmos” Garcia said in the signed statement last week.

“MDL Philippines serves as a competitive developmental platform for amateur teams, but this does not mean that players or teams should attempt to throw a match as it underscores the values and principles of the league and sportsmanship. Match fixing goes against these principles and we will continue to actively work together on ensuring the integrity of the league. Let’s combat these issues together to foster a professional esports ecosystem,” the league added.