The Esports Integrity Commission has escalated Palkovics "playN" Tamás' punishment from a three-year suspension to a lifetime ban, marking a dramatic shift from the sanctions originally announced against the NOMERCY roster.
The decision to extend the ban came after ESIC reviewed social media activity from playN that featured what appeared to be cash and other assets potentially linked to financial misconduct. The commission stated that these posts represented a severe violation of their Code of Conduct by creating the impression of improper behavior.
While ESIC did not officially identify which specific post triggered the harsher penalty, community member NartOutHere captured a screenshot of a now-deleted upload showing playN displaying substantial amounts of cash. The post allegedly included text referencing 2029 and the Roman Imperium Cup.
The Hungarian player's original three-year suspension was handed down as part of broader disciplinary action against the NOMERCY organization for match-fixing activities. At 22 years old, playN had initially received a more lenient sentence compared to several teammates, with ESIC citing his cooperation during the investigation, provision of financial records and communications, ongoing engagement with authorities, young age, and limited professional experience as mitigating factors.
The lifetime ban now permanently removes playN from competitive Counter-Strike under ESIC's jurisdiction, representing one of the harshest penalties the organization can impose.
