ESIC Imposes Lifetime Ban on Juan “Vintage” Angulo and Five-Year Ban on Oswaldo “DarkMago” Herrera Following EWC26 Integrity Investigation
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has concluded its investigation and first-instance disciplinary proceedings concerning participants associated with the PTime / PlayTime Dota 2 team at the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC26).
ESIC has imposed lifetime ineligibility on Juan David Angulo Nicho (“Vintage”) and five years of ineligibility on Oswaldo Herrera Martínez (“DarkMago”). These sanctions replace their earlier provisional suspensions. Both participants retain the right to appeal to the International Games and Esports Tribunal (IGET) in accordance with the appeal process notified to them.
Background and Investigation
The matter was escalated to ESIC on 13 July 2026 following receipt of information concerning a corrupt approach intended to influence competitive performance. ESIC undertook an urgent preliminary assessment and, in coordination with the Esports Foundation, imposed provisional suspensions while the investigation continued.
The subsequent investigation examined participant and staff interviews, contemporaneous communications, internal team material, participant responses, tournament records, gameplay and draft observations, device and financial information where produced, and multi-source betting intelligence.
ESIC issued participant-specific Notices of Charge on 6 August 2026 and has since served final sanctions and reasoned decisions on both participants.
Vintage: Findings and Lifetime Ineligibility
ESIC found all six charges against Vintage proven. The findings established that he was party to an agreement or effort to cause PTime / PlayTime to lose its series against Team Liquid by a score of 0–2, agreed to accept a financial reward connected with the proposed manipulation, and solicited or facilitated another participant’s involvement.
ESIC also established failures to disclose reportable integrity information, breaches of the ESIC Code of Conduct, and failures to cooperate fully and truthfully with the investigation.
The proven breaches were:
- ESIC Anti-Corruption Code, Article 2.1.1: corruption through an agreement and effort to manipulate the Team Liquid series.
- ESIC Anti-Corruption Code, Article 2.1.3: agreeing to accept a bribe or other reward for improper influence.
- ESIC Anti-Corruption Code, Article 2.1.4: soliciting, inducing, persuading and facilitating another participant.
- ESIC Anti-Corruption Code, Articles 2.4.4 and 2.4.5: failure to disclose a corrupt approach and facts or matters evidencing corrupt conduct.
- ESIC Code of Conduct, Articles 2.5.1, 2.5.2 and 2.5.3: dishonesty, integrity failures and failure to disclose.
- ESIC Anti-Corruption Code, Article 4.3, and ESIC Code of Conduct, Article 6.4: failure to cooperate fully and provide truthful, complete information.
The intended 0–2 result was not achieved, and ESIC did not find that a completed corrupt payment to Vintage had been proved. Those circumstances did not prevent findings of liability for the agreement and effort to manipulate the series, the agreement to accept a reward, or the other established offences.
Vintage is ineligible for life, with the sanction recognised from 14 July 2026, the date from which his provisional suspension was served and credited.
DarkMago: Findings and Five-Year Ineligibility
The findings against DarkMago concerned his failure to meet reporting and integrity obligations. ESIC established that he had been directly exposed to a discussion concerning match-fixing and subsequently became aware of communications evidencing corrupt conduct, but failed to make the required report.
ESIC considered his formal responses to the charges before reaching its determination.
The proven breaches were:
- ESIC Anti-Corruption Code, Article 2.4.4: failure to disclose a corrupt approach or invitation.
- ESIC Anti-Corruption Code, Article 2.4.5: failure to disclose facts or matters evidencing corrupt conduct.
- ESIC Code of Conduct, Articles 2.5.1 and 2.5.3: integrity and prompt-disclosure failures.
ESIC did not press the alternative active match-manipulation and reward charges against DarkMago in its final decision.
DarkMago is ineligible for five years, from 14 July 2026 to the end of 13 July 2031, with full credit given for the provisional suspension already served.
Enforcement
The sanctions apply across ESIC Member Events and ESIC-recognised competitive activity to the extent the relevant organisations have authority to enforce them. They prohibit participation in covered capacities, including as a player, substitute, coach, analyst, manager, team staff member or support personnel.
ESIC Members have been notified of their obligations to recognise and enforce the sanctions, prevent circumvention and report attempted participation.
Confidentiality and Reporting Obligations
This matter reinforces the obligation on participants to report corrupt approaches and information evidencing corrupt conduct without unnecessary delay. Failure to report such information is itself a serious integrity breach, independently of whether a participant actively engages in match manipulation.
Anyone with information concerning suspicious or corrupt conduct in esports is encouraged to contact ESIC at
The original press release can be found here:https://esic.gg/sanction-outcome/esic-imposes-lifetime-ban-on-vintage-and-five-year-ban-on-darkmago-following-ewc26-integrity-investigation/
