Valve has clarified on its Counter-Strike Blog (via GameSpot) that the bans issued to players during January of last year are permanent.
The bans in question were issued due to match-fixing in order to gain valuable in-game items, which could then be used to bet on the outcome of professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive matches. They could also be sold for real money on the Steam marketplace. The ban means that the teams aren’t allowed to participate at all in any events sponsored by Valve.
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Part of the statement reads as follows:
Back in January and early February 2015 we took action after we discovered that a small number of professional CS:GO players were engaged in match-fixing. Our decision was to ban these players indefinitely from involvement in Valve-sponsored events. To clarify, the bans for these players are permanent, and players proven to have taken part in match-fixing will be permanently banned.
As the scene grows, it’s an unfortunate reality that some individuals will seek opportunities to take advantage of their fans. We will continue to take whatever action we think is necessary to protect the entertainment value created by professional Counter-Strike, including, on occasion, terminating our relationship with individuals who have demonstrated a willingness to exploit their fans’ faith in the integrity of the sport.
CS:GO is one of the most played games on Steam, usually in the top four games along with DoTA 2 and Team Fortress 2. Due to the game’s popularity, it’s been no stranger to conflict: late last year, players reacted negatively to an over powered revolver introduced during an update.
