The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), the official integrity partner of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026, has provisionally suspended two players connected to the Dota 2 team PTime while it investigates suspected rule-breaking.
The players affected are Juan “Vintage“ Angulo and Oswaldo “DarkMago“ Herrera. As a direct result of their suspensions, Philippines-based esports organisation PTime has been pulled from the Dota 2 event at EWC 26 entirely, according to a statement from the Esports Foundation, which organises the tournament.
ESIC says it is looking into possible breaches of two of its rulebooks: the Anti-Corruption Code and the Player Code of Conduct. In plain terms, these codes cover things like match-fixing, betting-related misconduct, and other actions that could undermine fair competition, though ESIC has not said publicly which specific rules it believes were broken.
While that investigation is ongoing, both players have been hit with what’s called a “provisional suspension.” This does not mean either player has been found guilty. Instead, it’s a temporary, precautionary step meant to keep the competition fair while questions are being answered, protect evidence relevant to the investigation and allow ESIC to carry out a proper and thorough process.
Because of the suspension, both Vintage and DarkMago are barred from taking part in EWC 26 or any event run by an ESIC member organisation until further notice. For Vintage specifically, the ban goes further as he’s also blocked from coaching, managing, or providing any strategic or team-support role for other players or teams while the investigation continues.
ESIC says both players have already been formally notified, interviewed as part of the process, and given a chance to respond and submit evidence in their defense. The suspensions will stay in place “unless varied or lifted by ESIC in writing,” which means they could be extended, changed, or dropped depending on what the investigation finds.
Losing two rostered members to suspension left PTime unable to meet the basic eligibility requirements to keep competing, so the Esports Foundation removed the team from the Dota 2 bracket altogether. Organisers say they are now adjusting the schedule and bracket to account for PTime’s absence, with updates to be shared through official EWC channels.
This is not the first time ESIC has issued temporary suspensions to esports athletes. About two months ago, the organisation imposed an interim suspension on the South American Dota 2 team Team Clown Crew/BarrancoBar, along with everyone associated with the roster, while it investigated allegations of suspicious activity during recent matches. Around the same period, ESIC also provisionally suspended Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) team Team NOMERCY and five of its players as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected match-fixing.
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