Team Aster Members Test Positive for COVID-19 Ahead of Dota 2’s The International 10
Several members of Chinese organization Team Aster have tested positive for COVID-19 just eight days before the start of Dota 2’s highly anticipated tournament, The International 10. The players, Monet, XXS, and Borax, along with the team’s coach, manager, and video team, have all been confirmed positive according to an official announcement on Aster’s Weibo page.
Fortunately, all the members who tested positive are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. The team’s manager had not left the hotel except for essential purchases. All five Chinese teams attending The International 10 are staying in the same hotel, and Aster immediately informed their fellow competitors about the situation.
The three accompanying Chinese teams, Elephant, Vici Gaming, and Invictus Gaming, have announced that all their players and staff have tested negative for the virus. PSG.LGD has sent well wishes for everyone participating in the event but has not confirmed the status of their own players and staff.
The International 10 is set to begin on October 7. As the group stage is expected to be played in isolated hotel rooms, Aster should still be able to participate without many issues. However, if they qualify for the main event with spectators, additional precautions might be taken depending on the players’ conditions.
After being canceled last year due to the pandemic, Dota 2’s biggest event is being held in Bucharest this year. Fully vaccinated and masked spectators are allowed to attend. With a prize pool of over $40 million, this edition of The International surpasses the previous record of $34 million from TI9.
Update Oct. 1 2:40am CT: An update from IG reveals that offlaner JT- has also tested positive for COVID-19 after experiencing feverish symptoms. JT- has self-quarantined and his fever has since subsided.
According to a report from Dota 2 personality Tiffani “Babyoling” Lim, all 10 members of Team Aster have tested positive for COVID-19.
Team Aster, COVID-19, Dota 2, The International 10, positive tests, Chinese teams, self-quarantine, tournament.