Players Boycott BLAST: What’s Happening and Why?

BLAST Premier Fall Final hasn't even started yet, but it's already making headlines for all the wrong reasons. For the first time in BLAST tournament history, several key players have openly expressed their dissatisfaction and are considering boycotting Media Day. This discussion gained traction after four team captains—Karrigan, Snappi, Apex, and Twistzz—simultaneously posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that they may not participate in the Media Day. In addition, Broky stated that he was "not feeling well," suggesting he might also skip the official event.

I might be unfit for Blast Media tomorrow

— karrigan (@karriganCSGO) September 23, 2024

The question is: what triggered this situation, and what could be the potential consequences for the tournament?

 

Astralis’ Unexpected Move: How Did Cadian End Up in the Lineup?

One of the factors contributing to player dissatisfaction is Astralis' recent decision to introduce a new captain—Cadian—into their lineup. This move has sparked significant debate, as it appears to violate BLAST’s standard rules.

According to tournament regulations, teams are required to confirm their lineups three weeks before the event begins. However, Cadian joined Astralis just eight days before the tournament, which should have disqualified him from participating. Furthermore, he wasn’t registered for Astralis or any other team for the current season. Despite this, the team found a loophole in the rules.

BLAST’s regulations allow for an emergency player substitution if someone is unable to participate due to health issues or other valid reasons. The tournament organizer reviews each case individually and may approve the substitution if the reasons are deemed sufficient.

In this case, just before Astralis announced their final roster, BLAST informed other participants that the Danish club had been granted an emergency substitution due to the health issues of player Br0. However, shortly after this announcement, Br0’s representative, Fabian Broich, stated on social media that his client was fully healthy, both physically and mentally. This raised even more questions and doubts among the player community.

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BLAST’s Statement and Public Reaction

Both Astralis and BLAST confirmed in statements to HLTV that all procedures for the substitution had been followed according to tournament rules. The regulations allow teams to use coaches as emergency substitutes if other players are unavailable. For example, at ESL IEM Katowice 2023, Ruggah replaced player Fame in one match due to illness.

However, the situation with Cadian has stirred significant unrest, especially among those who have faced similar issues at previous tournaments. Players and teams have voiced concerns over the transparency and fairness of BLAST's decisions.

What Are the Penalties for Boycotting Media Day?

BLAST’s rulebook includes a penalty points system for rule violations, and skipping Media Day is one such violation. Teams could receive anywhere from one to three penalty points for this. Additionally, the rules outline “major violations,” which include actions that damage the tournament’s image. The penalty for such violations is three points.

Accumulating six penalty points results in a one-match suspension, while 12 points lead to a ban from the tournament for an entire year. Despite the severity of these penalties, many players believe that BLAST is unlikely to enforce them to the fullest extent. As a result, some feel that skipping Media Day might not have significant repercussions.

BLAST’s Past Mistakes: Issues with Substitutions and Inconsistent Decisions

This is not the first time BLAST has faced criticism. One of the most notable incidents occurred during the BLAST Premier Spring Groups in January 2023. At that time, Faze traveled to Copenhagen without Reyn, who had planned to miss the tournament due to the birth of his son. The team had preemptively registered Konfig as a stand-in, and he even attended Media Day with the team. However, just a day before the tournament began, BLAST banned his participation, citing the fact that Konfig had been registered as a substitute for Heroic at the previous event—BLAST World Final 2022.

This decision caused outrage, as Faze had already received confirmation from BLAST that Konfig could participate. Nevertheless, after complaints from other teams, the organizers reversed their decision. Faze was forced to replace Konfig with Estag, but despite this, the team went on to win all their group matches. However, incidents like this leave a lasting negative impression.

Another Controversial Case: Degster Substitution Denied

Another issue arose in 2024 when Degster was unable to secure a visa for the BLAST Premier Fall Groups. Heroic requested an emergency substitution, but their request was denied, even though their backup player Nicoodoz had been registered. However, by that time, Nicoodoz had already transferred to Fnatic, and the team’s coach Saw wasn’t an active player. As a result, Heroic had to compete with their coach, significantly diminishing their chances of success.

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How Could Team Discontent Affect the Tournament?

These incidents reveal that dissatisfaction among players and teams with BLAST has been brewing for some time. Issues with substitutions, inconsistent decisions by the organizers, and a lack of transparency in handling critical situations have created tension. Players openly expressing their displeasure and the potential boycott of Media Day are not isolated incidents but the result of accumulated frustrations with BLAST’s management.

The question now is how BLAST will address this crisis of confidence. If the organizers fail to improve communication with the teams and fix the loopholes in their rulebook, the tournament could face serious consequences, including a loss of trust from both players and fans.