After their most recent loss to DRX at VALORANT Champions 2023, NAVI is looking to bounce back with a win to propel them into the playoffs. There was, however, a small controversy that quickly took over social media when head coach Erik “d00mbr0s” Sandgren revealed the roster had been penalized during the first map of the series due to use of a banned substance on stage.
In a now-deleted tweet, the 28-year-old coach said NAVI had one of their timeouts rescinded because one of their players was caught using Snus on-stage. In-game leader and veteran Kyrylo “ANGE1” Karasov was seen on the broadcast stuffing a small pouch in his upper lip, prompting a swift punishment from Riot Games officials.
In the 2023 VCT ruleset, only drinks in league-approved resealable containers are allowed on-stage, along with chewing gum. Other products, like food, tobacco, and other nicotine-based items are prohibited in the match area.
Snus is a moist form of smokeless tobacco that is packaged in teabag-like sachets and is often placed under the upper lip for use. It is an alternative method for tobacco consumption, unlike the American dipping tobacco variety, which requires the user to spit out the product after using it for a prolonged period of time.
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This new form of tobacco has become relatively popular among esports players in today’s era. Many European League of Legends players, for example, have reportedly been using Snus as one of the many substances to help cope with the immense pressure they feel from the public eye, on top of having to deal with other issues in their careers and lives.
Meanwhile, players will need to avoid using Snus on stage while participating in VALORANT events, since they now know the consequences of their actions. Granted, multiple players have already made fun of the situation on social media, including Team Liquid’s Saif “Sayf” Jibraeel and NRG’s head coach Chet Singh.
Ultimately, NAVI will need to focus up for their last match of the Champions group stage, when they battle in the decider match on Saturday, Aug. 12.
