Despite the lack of an official presence in the Overwatch League, Australia has continued to punch above their weight when it comes to Blizzard’s professional scene. But one team has flown a little too close to the sun, with the winners of the first Overwatch Contenders trials season for 2019 being disqualified for using ineligible players.
Blizzard’s official esports account for Australia announced that Hot Sauce, a team that finished first in the group stage of the first Overwatch Contenders trials for 2019, has been disqualified following an investigation:
Overwatch Contenders Tournament Administration was informed of a situation where ineligible players were allegedly competing on team Hot Sauce in an official Contenders Australia Trials match. After a comprehensive investigation, these allegations were confirmed to be true.
Hot Sauce finished top of the trials group stage, going 22-7 over the course of their 29 matches. They only lost two games over the course of the stage, one to Legacy (1:3) and one to Mindfreak (2:3). Legacy finished second in the group stage, and had already qualified for the first full Contenders season this year.
But because of Hot Sauce’s disqualification, Mindfreak G will move into the main Contenders stage in Hot Sauce’s place.
Kotaku Australia has contacted Blizzard for clarification on who the ineligible players were, and the reasons surrounding their ineligibility. We’ll update this story as more information comes to light.
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