ESIC concluded its match-manipulation investigation into NOMERCY on October 15, handing out bans ranging from three years to lifetime across the five-man roster.
The fixed event
- Event: Radio Popular Roman Imperium Cup VII
- Venue: Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
- When: late March 2026
Implicated matches (all group-stage BO1, 28/03/2026)
- BETBOOM 13-0 NOMERCY
- Sangal 13-3 NOMERCY
- BESTIA 13-1 NOMERCY
- Wildcard 13-1 NOMERCY
Evidence
ESIC cited "a broad evidence bundle," including:
- Betting intelligence — a high-value combination bet on all four matches
- Gameplay review (trading, utility use, positioning, decision-making)
- Communications and financial material
- Participant responses
ESIC: "No isolated gameplay error, transaction or communication was treated as determinative."
Sanctions
| Player | Ban | Expires |
|---|---|---|
| Oliver "kzy" Heck | Lifetime | None |
| János "James8k" Fodor | 5 years | Apr 23, 2031 |
| Petar "perakokanje" Bešir | 5 years | Apr 23, 2031 |
| Palkovics "playN" Tamás | 3 years | Apr 23, 2029 |
| Sreten "srtn1" Smiljanić | 3 years | Apr 23, 2029 |
Why kzy got lifetime
His "central leadership and calling role," involvement in veto decisions, repeated gameplay involvement, and "complete non-cooperation" during the investigation.
Mitigating factors
- playN: detailed responses, financial and communications production, continued engagement, youth, relative lack of experience
- srtn1: initial interrogatory answers "albeit incomplete and inconsistent"
No financial penalties were disclosed. Expiry dates account for the provisional sanction that began in April when the investigation started.
Source: HLTV.org — /news/45727/esic-bans-nomercy-for-match-manipulation
