Riot Responds to the Match-Fixing Allegations in VALORANT NA Tier 2
Concern has been raised about the North American VALORANT Tier-Two scene after claims of alleged match-fixing and cheating came to light.
Riot Games, the developer and publisher of VALORANT, has officially responded to these claims, emphasising its commitment to upholding competitive integrity.
VALORANT Esports has been proactive in tackling these breaches of trust and defending the scene by vowing to uphold competitive integrity. Controversy has been started after Sean Gares, General Manager of esports organisation Shopify Rebellion, released an explosive video, “The Dark Side of Competitive VALORANT”, shedding light on some shocking allegations.
Read Also: Top 10 Valorant Agents for Beginners
Riot Games is investigating the claim after finding evidence of match-fixing.
Leo Faria, the Global Head of VALORANT Esports, responded to the allegation through an official statement on the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) X account. Faria posted that they have been investigating the situation since early May 2025, with the main integrity monitoring companies like the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), Sportradar, and GRID.
Later, he also stated that the allegations are serious, but no solid evidence has been found regarding the matter so far. Riot Games stressed that whistleblowers and community reports are important, but only evidence-based investigations can result in action. He also requested that the player with relevant proof and information report directly to the league officials or Riot regarding any unfair practices found.
Gares’ Exposé Sparks Controversy; Players Benched as Investigations Continue
In the video posted by Sean Gares, a user named ‘Bray’ was allegedly offering money to players to lose the matches. Bray is alleged to have connections to the crypto circle managed by his associate ‘Cooker’. Both have refused this allegation, with Bray claiming, “I did not do anything. I am not a part of any of this,” and Cooker assures he does not do such unfair practices.
Gares’s video also pointed the accusing finger at Adam ‘Fair’ Elharoun and Bob ‘Bob’ Tran, formerly of Blue Otter and now with FlyQuest RED, for allegedly losing the game against Burger Boys and cheating against Shopify Rebellion.
Gares also said that he knows two additional teams that are involved in cheating but refused to disclose their identities in order to protect the individual players.
The investigation is still going on, which would ensure the significance of maintaining competitive integrity even more for esports. While Riot Games continues the investigation, the community is looking forward to more information and expects trust, responsibility, and openness.
