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Valve ignores ESIC’s changes to demerit system for CSGO coach bug cases

Coaches suspended due to allegations of spectators bug exploitation now have fewer demerits thanks to a change in the... Shubh | 6. August 2022

Coaches suspended due to allegations of spectators bug exploitation now have fewer demerits thanks to a change in the demerit point system implemented by ESIC. Valve has refused to implement the same changes, Major ban on coaches remains in place.

Following successful appeals filed by CS:GO coaches Alessandro “Apoka” Marcucci and Nicholas “Guerri” Nogueira earlier in the summer, the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) revised the demerit system in place to address the CS:GO coach bug cases.

According to ESIC’s findings, Apoka, who was playing for Luminosity, used the spectator bug for 28 rounds in a 2017 match against Cloud9 in ECS Season 4 North America and for 29 rounds in a 2018 encounter against the same team in ECS Season 5. The findings resulted in eight demerits and a Tier-1 ban with a 36-month sentence. Apoka received an 85 percent reduction on his suspension and only had to sit out less than 6 months of competitive action because of his confession and assistance with the inquiry. 

Guerri was also found guilty of exploiting the bug twice for a combined 26 rounds, costing him five demerit points. The Brazilian coach received a 60 percent concession for helping ESIC with the inquiry and only had to serve a four-month suspension. Coaches who were involved in the use of the bug were banned by Valve based on ESIC’s findings and demerits; however, the CS:GO developers did not consider ESIC’s ban reductions and imposed bans on coaches solely based on the demerit points ESIC had applied.

ESIC revised the demerit system

The two CS:GO coaches Apoka and Guerri submitted an appeal against the ruling in July, to ESIC. In response to these appeals, ESIC adjusted how concessions are applied to sentences and modified how demerit points are calculated. The concessions will decrease the number of demerits directly, in accordance with the new demerit system, as opposed to only shortening the overall suspension period. For coaches who had been barred for abusing the spectator coaching bug, the difference in how demerit points are calculated is crucial since it could allow them to rejoin their teams and play in Majors again.

Valve rejects ESIC’s appeal 

The major ban on the CS:GO coaches have remained unchanged, according to ESIC, because Valve rejected ESIC’s appeal regarding the ban concessions. Apoka and Guerri’s demerits would have decreased to two and their major bans would have ended if Valve had accepted the revised demerit system. Due to Valve’s decision to disregard ESIC’s revised demerit system, Guerri’s suspension from the Valve event won’t be lifted until 2024, while Apoka’s permanent ban will restrict him from ever taking part in a Major.

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