Match fixing is once again the topic of discussion within eSports circles after 24/7 eSports drops their Counter-Strike:Global Offensive (CS:GO) team after rumours of match fixing, and 
Valve dole out permanent bans to 21 naughty boys.
The derogatory term ‘match fixing’ has once again been used in the same paragraph as eSports. This time, it’s a rookie Australian eSports outfit that are making the headlines, albeit in a very positive way.
24/7 eSports was born on Dec 27, 2015. Celebrating their awakening, the company announced plans to venture into the professional sport of Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) by hiring the lineup of former CS:GO team Skyred.
Writing on their website at the time of the launch, they wrote:
“We have officially welcomed the Ex-Skyred lineup to our new organisation,” before continuing, “The team is easy to work with and hungry for success.”
ex-Skyred to @247eSports ! https://t.co/OiaLefCx8l pic.twitter.com/fmUYZSqFt6
— GosuGamersCS (@GosuGamersCS) December 26, 2015
The tone changed somewhat after anonymous sources from within the Vietnamese eSports community started to spread rumours intimating that the former members of Skyred had been involved in match fixing. Cue a second blog post on 24/7’s website, dated Jan 6, that severed all ties between the pair.
24/7 owner Wei-Ning Yong wrote that they were ‘disappointed’ with all of the current rumours, and ‘for the sake of integrity in eSports’ they had decided to ‘terminate any support towards the team.’
The article also went on to stipulate that at no time were contracts signed between the two entities and that there was no evidence to suggest the former Skyred team members had done anything wrong, and 24/7 wished them a happy bon voyage.
The five lads now looking for new jobs are:
Vu “cLb” Hoang Nguyen
Cong “crazyguy” Anh Ngo
Hoang “d@rklord” Giang Phung
Phu “Rap” Quoc Phan
Ngoc “Zac” Thien Nguyen
Valve Makes CS:GO Bans Permanent
Perhaps, 24/7’s announcement was swayed by the news that gaming giant Valve had decided to drop the hammer on 21 CS:GO players who received ‘indefinite suspensions’ for their role in match-fixing dating back to early 2015.
Back when Valve was dishing out those Hail Mary’s, they promised a more detailed review in 2016. A week in, and that study is complete, with Valve deciding to make the ‘indefinite suspensions’ permanent.
“To clarify these bans are permanent, Valve wrote on their blog, “Players proven to have taken part in match fixing will be permanently banned.”
Valve only have the power to prevent these 21 people for competing in tournament and leagues operated within their jurisdiction, but reports emanating out of gaming magazines, seems to intimate that the Electronic Sports League (ESL), and eSports Entertainment Association league (ESEA), will also honor the suspensions.
