The Esports Integrity Commission has issued severe penalties to five players from NOMERCY following a comprehensive investigation into match manipulation during Roman Imperium Cup VII, which took place in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal in late March.
The investigation focused on four best-of-one matches the team competed in during the group stage. ESIC's findings were based on extensive evidence, including betting intelligence that revealed high-value combination wagers on all four matches, complete gameplay reviews, player-specific analysis, communications records, financial documents, and responses from the participants.
The report highlighted numerous in-game irregularities, such as deficiencies in trading, utility usage, positioning, and decision-making. However, ESIC clarified that no single gameplay mistake, transaction, or communication was considered conclusive evidence on its own.
Oliver "kzy" Heck, a veteran whose career stretches back to Counter-Strike 1.6 with notable teams including MOUZ, ALTERNATE aTTaX, and EURONICS, received a permanent ban. ESIC cited his central leadership position, involvement in map veto decisions, repeated gameplay participation, and complete refusal to cooperate.
János "James8k" Fodor and Petar "perakokanje" Bešir, whose only recorded competitive appearances are from the Portuguese tournament, each received five-year bans for their involvement and failure to assist the investigation.
Palkovics "playN" Tamás, who has played for several Hungarian top-tier teams recently, and Sreten "srtn1" Smiljanić, whose player profile also shows only the four matches in question, were sanctioned for three years. Their shorter bans reflect mitigating circumstances, including cooperation efforts, age, and limited professional experience.
All suspensions began in April when provisional sanctions were initially imposed.
