Natus Vincere quickly established itself as a pillar of competitive Dota 2 when it won the first The International back in 2011. The organization carefully cultivated an air of prestige in the scene despite never winning a TI again. Recently, Na`Vi received flak from the community for replacing Viktor “GeneRaL” Nigrini in its Dota 2 roster. Several fans and Dota personalities in the CIS region reacted negatively to Navi's quick decision on the roster. This eventually prompted the organization's CEO Yevhen Zolotarov to publish an official statement.

NA`VI DOTA 2 IN TURMOIL

GeneRaL joined the CIS esports organization in early 2016. The team enjoyed modest success with the Ukrainian player on the roster. He spent a brief time away from the team before returning to Navi in September 2020. A string of uneventful tournaments eventually led to his removal from the team.

Navi CEO Yevhen Zolotarov clarified the thought process behind GeneRaL's replacement. The team eventually signed Roman “RAMZES666” Kushnarev to the team earlier this month. Zolotarov went on to say that the team's previous configuration just did not work claiming that it “didn't end well.”

“This goes against the way we work with other disciplines, but our traditional centralized management approaches in Dota unfortunately didn’t work. I personally kept Dota squads from performing substitutions dozens of times, persuaded to give one or another player another chance, etc. In the end, it didn’t end well.”

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Despite the shocking roster change, GeneRaL remained confident in his future in competitive Dota. The Ukrainian player first thought it was a joke before he received the official announcement. His confidence turned to disappointment when he recalled the conditions accompanying his return to Navi. Now, things might look bleak for GeneRaL given the strict new regulations in the Dota Pro Circuit. Talented players often get the short end of the deal when teams let them go unceremoniously. Hopefully, GeneRaL and many other talented players find proper homes during this competitive season.