Official: FaZe confirms s1mple for IEM Dallas, BLAST.tv Austin Major after "bait" post on Telegram

Earlier today, Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev posted on Telegram that "didn't get a visa either...", seemingly implying that his visa for IEM Dallas 2025 and the BLAST.tv Austin Major was in doubt. This immediately set off alarm bells across the community as the Ukrainian superstar missing the two NA events would be a significant loss for fans of the game while also seriously imperiling FaZe's run at the both events.

Fortunately, the community need not worry as Dust2.us has confirmed with FaZe Director of Esports Operations Edward "Eddie" Han that s1mple's Telegram post was "bait" and his visa is locked in for IEM Dallas and the BLAST.tv Austin Major.

Apparently, s1mple's Telegram post is intended to be a tongue in cheek reference to Ilya "Perfecto" Zalutskiy's own visa issues and are not representative of reality. What motivated his "bait" post we'll never know but it clearly worked as this publication and many on social media fell for s1mple's ruse.