"I have never been involved in match-fixing": CS:GO major contender “HObbit” defends recent allegations

A major match-fixing scandal is crawling back to the surface, as reports arise that popular CS:GO pro Abay "HObbit" Khasenov and his teammates in the CIS region fixed matches back in 2015.

According to a report by Dexerto, Rustam "5TRYK#R" Älımqūlov has come forward with allegations involving him, HObbit, Bektiyar "fitch" Bahytov and other teammates, who allegedly lost as they placed bets on the pistol rounds.

The scene around the match-fixing scandal involves PGL major winner HObbit, who is currently playing for Cloud9 and competing at the PGL major Antwerp.

After Dexerto published their report, the Cloud9 pro expressed his statement regarding the issue on Twitter, saying,

“I have never been involved in match-fixing. [I am] fully prepared to assist in ESIC’s investigation. All that I have achieved, I earned with my hard work and perseverance. My reputation is above all to me.”

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CS:GO pro HObbit denies match-fixing accusations

In the report, 5TRYK#R revealed how they spot-fixed the matches in great detail. As he is currently suffering from a great illness, he wanted to clear things regarding the issue before things could get worse.

Back in 2015, 5TRYK#R created a team named 'Party' with some talented CS:GO players. The players of Kazakhstan are known for their quality deliverance in CS:GO Pros. However, the team was sponsorless and their aim was to qualify for a CS:GO major tournament.

The 31-year-old is a former CS:GO pro player and coach, and has had many ups and downs in his career. In his account, 5TRYK#R stated:

“The tests came back with a serious diagnosis. I will fight to the end and try to win this confrontation. Since 2016 my playing career has ended due to certain actions. For 6 years, I have not been able to let go, and periodically, this situation strains me mentally. The situation due to illness is different, so I want to put my morale in order by telling the whole truth about the former PARTY team and live with peace of mind. Good health to you!”

The alleged competition was the opening qualifier for the CIS region's Starladder Regional Minor Championship closed qualifier, where 5TRYK#R's team 'PARTY' participated. The roster consisted of some great CS:GO potential back in the day. However, they were out of the tournament after a disgraceful performance by the whole team.

While some fans support HObbit and nothing is proven until ESIC (Esports Integrity Comminssion) gives their feedback after seeing all the evidence, several fans have shown distrust towards him and his old teammates. Undoubtedly, this issue in the world of Counter Strike has shaken the community with a quake.