ESIC suspends Swedish team following preliminary investigation

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has suspended all of the players on Northern Lights, a Swedish team, on an interim basis.

A preliminary investigation conducted by ESIC, together with information sent directly to ESIC, shows severe breaches of ESIC's Integrity Program.

"The interim suspension has been imposed in line with ESIC’s Codes and standard practice where evidence warrants protective action during live investigations," ESIC said in a statement.

"The matters under review concern potential violations of the Anti-Corruption Code and provisions of the Code of Conduct. ESIC emphasizes that an interim sanction is not a final determination of wrongdoing."

Northern Lights are:

• Axel "⁠Axelen⁠" Enholm

• Anton "⁠Meinz⁠" Evander

• Oscar "⁠Avoy⁠" Dahlkvist

• Frank "⁠Fraaank⁠" Issal

• Alexander "⁠frigolito⁠" Andersson

This ESIC suspension follows their ban from the Swedish Elitserien league earlier this month.

After Elitserien conducted its own investigation, it handed Avoy, Fraaank, and frigolito a one-year ban for match-fixing. Meinz and Axelen were banned permanently, and the latter was also caught cheating.

Northern Lights are provisionally suspended from participating in "any ESIC Member Event, including qualifiers and online stages," until the investigation is complete. The period served under this interim suspension will be credited to a final sanction, if that happens.

ESIC also announced the next steps of this investigation:

• ESIC has already issued Notices of Charge indicating this interim sanction to relevant Participants providing a window of reply ahead of a final determination.

• ESIC has also issued interrogatories to each of the relevant Participants.

• ESIC will continue its investigation and, where appropriate, may issue further Notices of Charge and/or final Notices of Enforcement Action

• Upon finalising its investigation, ESIC will issue a further Public Statement.

• ESIC Member Event organisers are requested and required (as applicable under adoption of ESIC’s Program) to recognise this interim suspension.

• Northern Lights and its Participants retain the procedural and appeal rights set out in ESIC’s Codes.