The Dota 2 scene was unpleasantly greeted with groundbreaking information days earlier than The Worldwide 15, with LGD Gaming’s prodigy Santiago “TaiLung” Agüero Gustavo getting banned from the match and all future PGL occasions for all times.
The 17-year-old Peruvian was closely suspected of potential aggressive integrity points – so dangerous that his personal workforce needed to reportedly snitch on him.
A case like this has, in fact, despatched shockwaves to the neighborhood, notably these in South America. Filipe “Astini” Ribeiro, a Brazilian Dota 2 coach, had loads to say concerning the matter, so I made a decision to shoot him a message, and he responded.
He didn’t maintain again, and actually went even additional than I anticipated – issues go even deeper than match-fixing in South America. Right here’s what he needed to say.
Did TaiLung know what he was doing?
Astini is a fairly high-profile coach from South America, having labored with quite a few groups from the area, however he has additionally gone worldwide. You’ve in all probability heard of him from his most notable stint with PARIVISION, the place he helped the workforce place within the high three at TI14 final 12 months.
He’s labored with quite a few South American gamers earlier than, however Astini instructed me he had barely interacted with TaiLung straight. He solely remembers one potential interplay.
Astini’s good friend, CaioGordo, instructed him about Osito (TaiLung’s former in-game title) and Máximo “Wits” Orozco Alza (now PlayTime’s carry) after they have been 14 and 15 years outdated. He did a 30-minute teaching session with a workforce that had one of many two prospects, and he can’t even recall which one.
Quick ahead to his most up-to-date ban, and many in the neighborhood have sympathized with TaiLung. Individuals argued that perhaps {the teenager} didn’t perceive the results, or might be influenced by others into doing what he did,
Nicely, Astini doesn’t purchase it.
“This ‘was only a child’ narrative is a really weak argument to defend criminals,” he instructed me. “The largest streamers in Peru have been banned for matchfixing. They know what occurs. They only suppose they gained’t be caught and that the risk-reward ratio pays off.”
In line with him, TaiLung wasn’t this naive teenager who discovered himself in a nasty scenario – the child knew what he was stepping into.
Why is South America plagued with match-fixing?
TaiLung’s case isn’t the primary time one thing like this has occurred in South America. Actually simply final month, we had PlayTime’s scandal involving Gonzalo “DarkMago” Herrera and Juan “Classic” Angulo whereas they have been competing on the Esports World Cup.
In the event you’re a Peruvian professional like TaiLung or DarkMago, taking part in for high squads like LGD Gaming and PlayTime, you’re in all probability getting paid salaries in USD. Getting such salaries ought to already be greater than sufficient to place you in a cushty spot residing in South America. So, why do they nonetheless get entangled?
“Peru esports tradition is to suppose quick time period,” Astini stated. “Even when they’re making a superb wage, match-fixing will at all times pay extra. However they often begin on Tier 3/Tier 2 the place they don’t make a lot cash. And so they keep eternally.”
A second disaster: dishonest
Essentially the most fascinating half about my chat with Astini was his perception on cheaters in South America.
Match-fixing has been the recent matter, however in response to him, it’s not the one factor dragging the area down.
“Dishonest can also be an enormous drawback not solely in SA, but additionally in NA. Positive, NA is a useless area for 99 causes, however one of many greatest ones is that there are lots of Peruvians utilizing cheats in Open Qualifiers to go to Closed Qualifiers, then match-fix there,” he defined.
“So, new expertise in NA won’t ever go previous Open Qualifiers in the event that they meet the mistaken Peruvian workforce on their path.”
For these with restricted betting data: you may’t match-fix in any sequence. Bookies gained’t open markets for Open Qualifier matches, the place issues can get very sussy. Nevertheless, when you make it to the Closed Qualifiers for a giant occasion like TI, many websites will truly open the gates.
So, Astini claims Peruvians have been dishonest in Open Qualifiers – even taking part in North American ones – to work their manner up the place the dough is at. “Beforehand, you wanted to be no less than considerably good on the recreation to match-fix, to make it to a match to repair,” Astini stated. “However now they qualify by hacking, then match-fix.”
He was fast to level out he’s not simply speculating both. “Earlier than folks name me loopy, there was an ESIC ban wave made on Peruvian scripters and hackers lately.”
Workforce Falcons coach Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling additionally suspected TaiLung of probably utilizing scripts or a macro as a result of he was toggling his Armlet of Mordiggian on Huskar virtually completely.
https://t.co/OQ46uleYCCA couple months in the past I didnt perceive how malrine solo killed in slardar vs kotl mu. I assume he was 322. We additionally tried to seek out out if he was scripting/utilizing a macro as a result of he had solely body good huskar toggles throughout video games, however his workforce stated they…— Aui 2000 (@Aui_2000) August 10, 2026
I requested Astini if he agreed.
“I don’t have a closing opinion on TaiLung utilizing scripts. What I can inform you is it’s very probably,” Astini stated. He then went on to inform me that TaiLung may be very shut associates with a selected participant he believes used cheats.
Who’s saving South America now?
In the event you’ve been following the skilled Dota 2 scene this season, you may’ve simply seen that TaiLung was set as much as be the area’s subsequent famous person. So, who’s going to save lots of the area now?
Me and Astini have been in fast settlement – Wits, PlayTime’s carry, who performed alongside each TaiLung and DarkMago earlier than they obtained caught.
Picture Credit score: PGL
At solely 18, Wits has been placing in some severe work for PlayTime, nevertheless it’s even crazier to suppose that his progress might have been derailed by taking part in with the 2 banned gamers all through his profession.
I imply, after breaking free from these chains, Wits instantly gained Video games of the Future 2026, a million-dollar match.
“Wits deserves all of the reward,” Astini stated. “All of the vitality the Peruvian neighborhood places into making an attempt to guard the hackers and match-fixers needs to be put into praising this man. Scofield, Wits, Elmisho – F*CKING LEGENDS!”
As for whether or not the area can truly get better from back-to-back scandals, Astini is surprisingly optimistic, so long as we proceed clearing folks out.
He stated: “Quick time period, it’d harm a bit. But when the responsible guys, and I swear to you it’s no less than half the playerbase on Closed Qualifiers, get punished, it would open house for brand spanking new expertise. Lengthy-term, will probably be good for the area. And once more, not solely SA, but additionally NA.”
Bans apart, the South American scene has regarded fairly promising over the previous month, so I can see the place his hope is coming from. PlayTime has been wanting nice for the reason that entire ordeal, and Wits has been successful the hearts of many.
Now our eyes ought to flip to LGD Gaming, who’ll be repping South America at TI15 in a couple of days.
