Chinese powerhouse, Team Newbee, is barred from attending DOTA 2 tournaments after accounts of match fixing were revealed. The ban was officially made on January 1, 2021. Wykrhm Reddy, a trusted insider source of DOTA news, confirmed this via Twitter.
The ban is Valve's official response after their antics last May 2020 when the team was accused of match-fixing in China DOTA 2 Pro League and DPL-CDA. Both ImbaTV and the Chinese DOTA 2 Professional Assiciation (CDA) barred them from attending local tournaments. After careful investigation, the two organizations sent their evidence to Perfect World, the game's official distributor in the Chinese region, and Valve. CDA even relinquished Newbee's membership.
Their former players namely Xu “Moogy” Han, Yin “Aq” Rui, Wen “Wizard” Lipeng, Yan “Waixi” Chao, and TI2 champion Zeng “Faith” Hongda were likewise punished. Both Moogy and Faith remain inactive after the incident, but the others were unfortunate. Aq, Wizard, and Waixi, have been playing for Ink Ice since August 2020. Given their ban, the Ink Ice is forced to make a sudden roster change.
Their were warning signs to begin with as suspicions rose when Newbee were caught match-fixing against Avengerls in the StarLadder ImbaTV Minor. The organization defended themselves, stating that the communication levels within the team dwindled due to the pandemic.
The team has yet to make an official announcement after the severe punishments imposed on them.
This is a massive blow for Newbee who accomplished a lot in the DOTA scene. They ranked 2nd in The International 2017 when they were swept by Team Liquid but their major accomplishment took place in The International 2014 when they won the most prestigious trophy in DOTA's history.
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