According to a report by esports.gg, head coach of PSG.LGD Zhang “xiao8” Ning has been suspended for 30 days amid an investigation into match-fixing allegations. The suspension will begin today, and Valve has yet to comment on the matter.
Xiao8 suspended over match-fixing investigation
According to the report, allegations against xiao8 surfaced a few months ago during the International 10. Xiao8’s ex-wife came out on Weibo and accused xiao8 of extramarital affairs and gambling on games. The screenshots include bets on games that took place months before the International 10. The report also states that other pieces of evidence have come up that debunk the screenshots and that the truth of either allegation is unclear.
The report states that on Dec. 1, 2021, PSG.LGD posted screenshots of their communication with Valve regarding the matter. According to the post, the main reason PSG.LGD asked Valve to perform an investigation is due to how the match-fixing allegations are affecting their business.
In the same post, PSG.LGD ask Valve for audio tapes during the grand finals of the International 10 in order to perform their own investigation into the matter. PSG.LGD stated that the investigation will be led by a private investigation agency in China. In response to PSG.LGD’s requests, Valve remained confident in the outcome of The International 10.
“We have no reason to believe LGD match fixed nor did anything wrong during the finals,” wrote Valve’s Bruno “Bruno” Carlucci in an email response to PSG.LGD. “We are confident in the integrity of TI10 and its outcome.”
Despite both parties finding no evidence of wrongdoing, xiao8 is still suspended for the next 30 days. Valve has yet to release an official statement on the matter, and until they do, PSG.LGD will continue to compete in the upper division of the Dota Pro Circuit — albeit, without xiao8 for the next month.
