Dota 2: South American player banned during DreamLeague qualifiers

This led to Mad Kings forfeiting the ongoing series. The ban, seemingly out of the blue, followed accusations from Dota 2 fans who, over the last two days, built a case against StingeR, alleging involvement in account boosting.

The controversy escalated during the DreamLeague qualifier's lower bracket, where core player David 'Parker' Nicho Flores openly admitted to boosting StingeR's account during a match. 

Parker's challenge to "ban him" was answered, causing StingeR to disconnect before the 10-minute mark in the second game, unable to return. 

This tournament ban, a departure from the usual repercussions for such behavior, surprised both spectators and casters Luke 'Blu_Scale' Bedwell and Ahmed 'Otomo' Al-Azawi.

Valve's action appears consistent with their recent crackdown on smurfing, initiated after discussions with professional players at TI 2023. 

The ban during a live qualification match serves as a stark message, reinforcing that no smurfs or account-sharing players are immune to consequences, following a similar stern approach during the holiday season.