The organizers of ESL One Raleigh 2025 announced the disqualification of NAVI Junior due to repeated use of the Smoke Bug by their player Riddys during the Western Europe qualifier. AVULUS has been invited in place of the disqualified team as the next finishing team in the qualifiers.

What happened?

The Smoke Bug, an error that allows players to gain an unfair advantage, has repeatedly caused scandals on the professional scene. This time, abuse of the bug was recorded in several matches involving NAVI Junior. As a result, ESL has decided to exclude the team from participating in the tournament.

The essence of the bug is as follows: if you click through an opponent's inventory with an active "Smoke of Deceit," you can determine if it was used. Here's how:

1. Hover over the enemy hero, select the "Smoke" in their inventory, and attempt to "drop" it.
2. If the game issues an error, the item wasn't activated.
3. This bug allows tracking the use of "Smoke," even if the enemy is hidden in the fog of war, giving the team a huge strategic advantage.

Previously, the use of the Smoke Bug led to serious sanctions, including disqualification of players and teams. At ESL One Raleigh 2025, the organizers demonstrate a strict approach to ensuring fair play, highlighting the importance of following the rules for all teams.

Who will replace NAVI Junior?

AVULUS, who previously lost to NAVI Junior in the final match for a slot at ESL One Raleigh 2025, received an unexpected opportunity to participate in the tournament due to the disqualification of their opponents. AVULUS' recent results confirm their high potential. The team recently qualified successfully for DreamLeague Season 22.

ESL One Raleigh 2025 will take place from April 7 to 13. The prize pool for the tournament will be $1,000,000, and it will feature the best teams from around the world. You can follow the schedule, results, and fresh news via this link.