Doping & Cheating
GODSENT’s Holmlund Hit with ESIC Suspension Over Betting Scandal
Joel ‘Joel’ Holmlund, once a shining star for GODSENT’s CS:GO team, now faces a provisional suspension handed down by the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) for purported breaches of its Anti-Corruption Code.
Alleged Betting Violations
The commission unveiled that between 27 March and 28 March, Holmlund made bets on matches he was actively participating in. The plot thickens on 31 March when he allegedly bet against his own squad in a single showdown. His betting spree didn’t stop there; from 29 March to 1 May, he placed an astonishing 17 bets on various CS:GO clashes.
Tournaments in Question
Holmlund’s alleged missteps took place during his tenure with the Swedish esports powerhouse, Godsent, specifically during the BetBoom Playlist Urbanistic and IEM Dallas 2023 Europe Closed Qualifier.
Suspension Details
Post the revelations, Holmlund finds himself on the sidelines, barred from joining tournaments under the ESIC umbrella. The length of this hiatus? Still a mystery. However, ESIC has earmarked October 2023 for a detailed statement post-investigation.
Holmlund, served with a Notice of Charge on 30 August, didn’t take the allegations lying down. He challenged them, prompting ESIC to dig deeper. The suspension holds, but Holmlund has a window until 6 October to introduce fresh evidence for a potential reevaluation.
ESIC’s Stance
A snippet from ESIC’s official statement reads,
“Given the weight of the charges, coupled with Holmlund’s active role in an ESIC-affiliated event and the undeniable evidence from our exhaustive probe, the decision to suspend Mr. Holmlund was made via a Rejection Order Notice.”
The investigation’s depth is noteworthy, delving into digital imprints like IP addresses, device IDs, and browser specifics; meticulous records of bets during key events; and discernible patterns in betting vis-à-vis professional engagement.
GODSENT Speaks Out
On the digital platform X (formerly Twitter), GODSENT didn’t hold back. A portion of their statement elucidates,
“The moment we got wind of the grave allegations spanning from 27 March to 1 May, encompassing our matches and beyond, we took swift action, sidelining Joel. Our alliance with ESIC has been strong, aiding them in piecing together the puzzle with third-party collaborations.”
Via ESIC
Picture Source: Fragbite via YouTube
