DuSt Gaming · @TeamDuSt
23rd Mar 2020 from TwitLonger
SwordPuppy Banned Indefinitely from DuSt Gaming events
Hi, very long post incoming but I will try to make it as clear and brief as possible.
On January 3rd, 2020. DuSt League was having it's first qualifier for Season 2, link to the bracket can be found here: https://liquipedia.net/warcraft/DuSt_League/2/Qualifier_1
SwordPuppy was participating in the qualifier which was being streamed by multiple people including DuSt Gaming and other WC3 community streamers.
During a game of SwordPuppy vs Divine, it came to our attention that SwordPuppy was doing some pretty suspicious actions, specifically on Last Refuge where he seemed to be holding back his acolyte from being scouted by Divine's skeleton to deter him from knowing that there was an expansion cross map.
Here is a video showing the suspicious play in more detail broken down by a few players: https://streamable.com/akuvy
When we asked SwordPuppy, he confirmed straight up that he had the stream open simply to "listen" to what the casters were saying about him. Which is obviously unacceptable because hes listening to the stream. Given the evidence with the acolyte alone, it was concluded he was obviously watching the stream as well.
Screenshots of him admitting to admins (carson and Bidoux) and my initial punishment of 6 months: https://imgur.com/a/QtUe3Jz
I thought of making a post to clarify the ban to the community. However, SwordPuppy was removed from his team Hyperion and had already created a reddit post fully admitting to cheating and accepting his ban which is linked here: https://www.reddit.com/r/WC3/comments/emotvn/public_apology_dust_league/
(OG POST HAS SINCE BEEN DELETED, WILL GET TO THAT FURTHER IN THIS POST)
Overall at the time he seemed to accept the punishment (which you could argue was lenient). However, not more than 3 weeks into his ban he messaged me (Bidoux) on discord asking for an early pardon. I thought that was initially a super weird thing to ask and I quickly nipped it in the bud with this screenshot provided here: https://imgur.com/a/Cl5KPoV
After that I didn't think much of it, just assumed we'd see him back in action on July 4th. UNTIL ESL announced their ANZ circuit and I glanced at the qualifiers list and saw SwordPuppys name as a registered participant. I then checked the reddit post and saw that he had deleted his original post of admitting to the stream cheating.
(strangely convenient timing before a big circuit qualifier)
I guess that's what I get for not making my own post and outing him right then and there. Him deleting his reddit post and trying to participate in another cup was a huge slap in the face to us as organizers and to the WC3 community to try and pretend like nothing happened. I had recently sent a support ticket to ESL explaining all this and am awaiting their response. Whatever other organizers choose to do is their own business and out of my control.
However, we will be banning SwordPuppy indefinitely from all DuSt Gaming run events for his consciously deceitful actions in undermining our original ruling (a ruling that was discussed with multiple players and organizers from the WC3 community). To think you can cheat and get away with it without any consequences is absurd, and not something we're willing to tolerate.
TL;DR Swordpuppy stream cheated in a qualifier for dust league, admitted to cheating and received a 6 month ban. Then he tried to remove all the evidence and signup for another cup despite the ban being in place.