According to RTP Arena, a Portuguese esports outlet, João "story" Vieira has asked FlyQuest to remove him from their starting lineup. The news surfaced weeks after the team's crushing 0-3 exit during Stage 2 at the IEM Cologne Major.
This development could mark the second instance of a European AWPer leaving the Australian organization's active roster. Despite reaching the Major, FlyQuest struggled throughout the first half of 2026, missing nearly every top-tier tournament. Their best showing was a third-place finish at DraculaN Season 5, with most of their matches taking place at regional Asian events yielding inconsistent results.
The team's ranking tells a concerning story. When story joined in early 2026, FlyQuest sat at number 32 globally. They plummeted to 84th before the Major helped them recover to 52nd, still far from securing regular invitations to premier competitions.
story's individual performance has been underwhelming relative to expectations. While posting a 1.10 rating might seem respectable, context matters: most matches came against weaker APAC opponents, and he ranked only fourth among his teammates. Having spent his entire career with Portuguese squads like FTW and SAW, adapting to an Australian roster appears to have presented significant challenges.
With only a domestic Australian event currently on their schedule, FlyQuest faces serious roster decisions ahead.
