False Promises: Teams Deny Participation in Hainan Master Invitational
Several top Dota 2 teams, such as OG, Team Secret, and Vici Gaming, were supposedly going to attend the Hainan Master Invitational. However, it turns out that the tournament organizers did not actually contact any of these organizations.
Empty Claims from BOMI Esports
BOMI Esports, the organizers behind the Hainan Master Invitational, released all the tournament details but failed to reach out to the teams mentioned in their promotional images. Matthew “Cyborgmatt” Bailey, operations manager for Team Secret, exposed the falsities of the TO’s claims on Twitter, stating that the majority of the teams had not been approached or confirmed to attend the event.
Teams debunk BOMI’s Announcement
In addition to Team Secret, other teams like OG, PSG.LGD, and Virtus Pro have also confirmed that they have not been contacted by the tournament organizers regarding the event. Official statements from these teams are expected to be released soon.
Dan “Pluto” Shatrov, a representative from UCC, the studio running the qualifiers for the Invitational, clarified that the translation of the announcement was done poorly. The organizers expressed their desire to invite the teams rather than confirming their participation.
Despite this clarification, many believe that it was not appropriate for the organizers to use logos and accolades of the teams on promotional material without proper confirmation from the teams themselves.
The Hainan Master Invitational is scheduled to take place from March 3 to 8, which coincides with the Dota Pro Circuit Minor on March 5. The Minor holds higher priority for teams, making it unlikely that the invited teams from the original list will participate in the Invitational.
Hainan Master Invitational, Dota 2, Teams, BOMI Esports, False Promises, Deny Participation