UK esports organisation Team 7AM have terminated the contract of one of their Counter-Strike players: Dmytro ‘SENSEi’ Shvorak.
He was released yesterday following action by the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), to suspend the player for two years. This was for match fixing and breaching the ESIC Anti-Corruption Code.
ESIC said SENSEi was previously ‘involved in attempted match fixing activities during several LAN events with Team Project X’.
Three other Ukrainian players were also allegedly involved in match fixing with Team Majesty, and all four are now prohibited from taking part in any ESIC member events until October 24th 2025.
ESIC said in a statement: “The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has taken decisive action to suspend Mr. Dmytro “SENSEi” Shvorak, Mr. Maksym “THRONE” Semenov, Mr. Artur “DarkS1DE” Kravchenko, and Mr. Danylo “nat1ve” Bakin, professional esports players, from all ESIC Member events for two years following investigations into teams Akuma, Project X and Majesty corroborating allegations of multiple breaches of the ESIC AntiCorruption Code and significant evidence of suspicious and unusual betting on matches involving these players.”
SENSEi was also previously accused of cheating on team Akuma in the past, but this ESIC announcement is about separate match-fixing incidents.
Team 7AM responds to SENSEi’s ESIC suspension
Team 7AM responded to the decision, saying: “We have terminated SENSEi’s contract with immediate effect. It is vital to the esports ecosystem that tournaments, events and in general competitive play is contested in a fair manner and we as a business will not accept any member being involved in anything that puts this at risk.”
The rest of Team 7AM’s team consists of Duplicate (Bulgaria), dobbo (UK), choiv7 (Serbia) and bevve (UK).
Team 7AM founder John ‘wunda’ Smith-Howell said: “A really tough start for this new line-up, I believe if we stick together and continue the hard work it will pay off.”
Bevve said: “It’s sad to part ways with a teammate, even worse when it’s like this. The bevve curse continues, hopefully ends soon.
“With that being said, we are looking for an AWP – preferably one that doesn’t throw matches.”
choiv7 added: “Tough period for the team both inside and outside the game, but this is the only way.”
Related article: Two months ago, KE6 Vanguard and Team 7AM joined forces to boost collegiate esports.
ESIC issues order against Joel Holmlund in separate case
In a separate case, ESIC has also announced that former Godsent player has been issued a Rejection Order spanning the period of August 30th 2023 to January 6th 2024 for betting against some of his own matches back in March.
ESIC said:
ESIC said Joel’s assistance in the investigation and his agreement to seek help with his problem gambling resulted in a reduction in his suspension.
“ESIC is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and fair play in the esports industry,” it said. “As part of our commitment, ESIC sometimes offer individuals under investigation, or those already convicted, the opportunity to assist in our broader investigations. This can lead to a reduction in their sanctions or, in certain cases, exemption from prosecution. In the recent investigation involving Mr. Holmlund, he provided ESIC with crucial information pertinent to various ongoing inquiries.
“His full and candid cooperation was helpful to ESIC’s ongoing investigations. Consequently, we have decided that a reduction in Mr. Holmlund’s suspension is warranted and aligns with the principles of fairness and justice.”
ESIC
Joel added: “I am writing this statement to openly and sincerely apologise for my actions that have affected the CSGO and broader esports community. It is with a heavy heart that I acknowledge my involvement in betting on professional CSGO matches, a clear violation of the ESIC Codes and the trust you placed in me as a member of this community.
“I am currently seeking professional counseling and treatment for my gambling issues. This journey towards recovery is not just about complying with the sanctions but is a personal commitment to better myself and rebuild the trust I have lost. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from my mistakes and to contribute to the betterment of the esports community. Thank you for your understanding and support during this time.”
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
