ESIC Issues Four-Year Sanction to Dmytro “nifee” Tediashvili for Match Manipulation and Betting-Related Corruption

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) today announces that professional Counter-Strike 2 player Dmytro “nifee” Tediashvili has been sanctioned with a four (4) year period of ineligibility following a detailed investigation into match manipulation and betting-related corruption.

Overview of the Matter

The investigation relates to a series of matches played during ESL Pro League Season 22 in October 2025. In cooperation with Runestone, ESIC identified a pattern of unusual in-game incidents involving the player that were inconsistent with expected professional play and aligned with abnormal betting activity on a specific proposition market.

The conduct in question involved repeated Molotov/incendiary deaths occurring in circumstances that raised significant integrity concerns. These incidents coincided with:

Unusual spikes in betting volume on the relevant in-game outcome market
Betting patterns involving newly created, dormant, and high-value (“VIP”) accounts
Activity materially outside expected betting baselines for this type of market

In parallel, gameplay review and expert analysis identified repeated decision-making patterns that were inconsistent with normal competitive behaviour, including instances where the player was assessed as unnecessarily exposing themselves to damage without meaningful competitive engagement.

Investigation Process

ESIC’s investigation followed its established integrity and disciplinary processes, including:

Identification and analysis of suspicious betting activity
Review of match footage and gameplay data
Engagement with independent third-party integrity experts
Formal interview with the participant
Requests for information, records, and explanations
Consideration of written submissions and legal representations

While the participant initially denied breaching the ESIC Codes in his initial interview and subsequently through his legal representative, ESIC records that, following further engagement, the participant ultimately admitted to the conduct and provided assistance relevant to the broader investigation.

ESIC is continuing to work with international law enforcement and integrity partners in relation to other individuals connected to this activity, and further enforcement actions may follow.

Findings and Sanction

ESIC determined that the conduct constituted serious breaches of its Anti-Corruption Code, including:

Deliberate contrivance of in-match incidents for betting-related purposes
Facilitation and/or encouragement of corrupt betting activity
Conduct prejudicial to the integrity of esports competition

Such conduct strikes at the core of competitive integrity by attempting to manipulate elements of gameplay to influence betting markets.

A sanction of five (5) years would ordinarily have been imposed based on the seriousness of the offence and associated integrity risk. However, a reduction was applied to reflect the participant’s eventual admission and cooperation with ESIC’s investigation.

Accordingly, ESIC has imposed a final sanction of:

Four (4) years ineligibility from all ESIC member events and activities
Effective from 21 October 2025 to 20 October 2029 (inclusive)

During this period, the individual is prohibited from participating in any ESIC member event in any capacity, including as a player, coach, analyst, manager, or team staff.

ESIC’s determination reflects the seriousness of corruption-related conduct and the need to protect the integrity of competition and betting markets.

Clarity for the Community

ESIC recognises that cases of this nature attract significant scrutiny from the Counter-Strike community. This case is significant because it addresses manipulation risk associated with prop betting markets: markets that target discrete in-game incidents rather than match outcomes.

While integrity enforcement in esports and traditional sport has historically focused on match outcomes and broader betting misconduct, ESIC considers targeted prop markets to present acute integrity risk due to their susceptibility to manipulation through isolated incidents. This sanction reflects ESIC’s commitment to taking enforcement action where evidence supports that a prop market has been improperly targeted.

Closing Summary

Match manipulation and betting-related corruption represent some of the most serious threats to esports. Even manipulation of seemingly minor in-game events (such as proposition markets) undermines trust in competition and creates broader integrity risks. ESIC would like to thank Runestone for their cooperation during this investigation.

ESIC will continue to: