Legendary Counter-Strike player Danylo ‘Zeus’ Teslenko has spoken candidly about the dark underbelly of professional esports, sharing personal experiences with match-fixing during his career. As concerns around integrity in Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) continue to mount, Zeus’ revelations shed light on just how prevalent these issues have become—even at the highest levels of competition.
Known for his leadership and championship runs with NAVI and Gambit Esports, the Ukrainian veteran recently revealed he was repeatedly offered substantial amounts of money to deliberately lose matches. In a post shared by CS2 NEWS on X (formerly Twitter), Zeus disclosed one instance where the bribe reached an “insanely large amount.”
Zeus wrote that he’s been given substantial amounts of money on multiple occasions to light matches, but he always resisted. At one time, the offer was incredibly huge. However, he’s relieved now that he didn’t succumb.
“I knew that after 20 years of grinding in esports, one bad decision could erase everything I had worked for. My achievements could be completely ruined in an instant.”
As a devoted enthusiast of CS2, I can’t help but be captivated by Zeus’ insights into the challenges and temptations that players often encounter, particularly when lucrative rewards are involved. His unwavering commitment to preserving his legacy is truly admirable, yet his experiences suggest a deeper, systemic issue within the CS2 competitive scene.
Match-Fixing Still a Major Threat in Esports
Despite continuous efforts by tournament organizers and integrity bodies, match-fixing remains an ongoing concern in CS2 and across the broader esports industry. The issue isn’t new—Valve’s infamous iBUYPOWER match-fixing scandal rocked the CS:GO scene a decade ago, leading to lifetime bans for multiple players. Recently, Valve reversed those bans after 10 years, allowing those players to return to official events, which has reignited discussions about integrity and accountability.
Even beyond historic cases, recent incidents suggest the issue is far from resolved. In 2021, the FBI partnered with the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) to investigate and crack down on match-fixing rings within the scene. Their collaboration led to the exposure and sanctioning of multiple individuals involved in manipulating match outcomes for betting purposes.
Fast forward to 2025, and integrity violations are still making headlines. In a recent development, ATOX, a Mongolian esports organization, received provisional suspensions and disqualifications from premier events hosted by PGL and BLAST, pending an ongoing investigation by ESIC. While details remain scarce, speculation suggests the team is under scrutiny for suspected match-fixing offenses.
ESIC’s Role and Recent Bans
The Esports Integrity Commission continues to play a central role in monitoring and enforcing rules around competitive fairness. Their 2025 campaign to curb betting-related violations has already resulted in disciplinary action. Notably, Illya ‘Ganginho’ Chernychenko received a three-year ban in March for breaching betting regulations, effectively sidelining him from ESIC-sanctioned events until December 2027.
These measures underscore ESIC’s ongoing commitment to preserving the credibility of competitive esports. However, as Zeus’ story reveals, the battle against match-fixing requires vigilance at every level—from organizations and regulatory bodies to players themselves.
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2025-03-18 05:02