IEM Rio CS:GO Major: MOUZ, Outsiders advance to semi-finals
The quarterfinals of the IEM Rio CS:GO Major started yesterday, with MOUZ and Outsiders coming out victorious. The next match will be between Team Spirit and Heroic, while FURIA will fight against Natus Vincere at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
MOUZ was the underdog in the match against Cloud9. They lost on the Inferno map but turned the tide on Overpass and won the battle on the Ancient map. Outsiders had an easier fight, defeating Fnatic on two maps straight. MOUZ and Outsiders will face each other in the semi-finals on November 12.
Jeunesse Arena empty during Outsiders vs. Fnatic
Thousands of fans gathered at the Jeunesse Arena to support their favorite teams. With the tickets sold out, the arena should have hosted 18,000 spectators. However, the venue was empty during the match between Outsiders and Fnatic.
The situation was even more strange, considering the crowd had been wild in the previous matches. The fans had been chanting, playing instruments and waving flags to show their support. However, the seemingly empty arena did not mean that the fans had lost interest. They were actually outside the main venue for a fan fest.
The fans wanted to meet streamer Gaules, who attended the event. The streamer will continue leading fan fests during all matches, except for FURIA’s, because Gaules wants to watch them from inside the arena.
Fans who watched the stream asked the organizer to show the crowd outside several times. They wanted to see Brazilian fans showing their enthusiasm.
“There’s never been a crowd like this at a Major and it’s only day one,” Valve wrote on Twitter.
Sadokist removed from IEM Rio Major broadcast
Every event has its drama, and the IEM Rio CS:GO Major is no exception. Canadian caster Matthew “Sadokist” Trivett was removed on November 5 for his involvement in an incident while under the influence.
With the removal of Sadokist, ESL assigned Danish commentator Anders Blume and James “moses” O’Toole to host the rest of the IEM Rio Major.
“We can confirm that an incident took place last night involving Sadokist,” ESL said. “As a result of this, Anders has stepped in to commentate for the remainder of the tournament. We have no further comments and would like the focus to remain on the competition.”
Per a report by Dust2, Sadokist had drunk at a bar before he returned to the hotel where other casters, players and staff stayed. The caster went to the ballroom where the incident occurred.
“Sadokist got into a verbal argument and threw an object at a group of people who were filming promotional material for Gaules and FURIA, which in turn caused an argument between the caster and the group,” Dust2 said. “Somehow, during a scuffle, Trivett smashed a TV within the room, prompting a response from staff.”
ESL VP Product Development Michał “Carmac” Blicharz tried to calm Sadokist down but to no avail. They then got into a shouting match.
“Trivett was asked to immediately leave and ESL booked the first flight out of Rio for him,” Dust2 wrote.