Mongolian squad ATOX BANNED for Match Fixing

15 May

Thales Costa

In a shocking (not so shocking) turn of events, seven members of ATOX Esports have received severe penalties following an extensive match-fixing investigation by the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC).

The Mongolian organization has been at the center of one of the most significant integrity violation scandals in recent Counter-Strike history, with punishments ranging from temporary suspensions to lifetime bans.

The Investigation

The investigation began after suspicious betting patterns were detected during ATOX's match against Team Falcons in the ESL Pro League Season 20 in September 2024. ESIC's Suspicious Betting Alert Network (SBAN) flagged irregular betting activity that deviated significantly from normal market behavior, prompting a formal inquiry that lasted several months.

As the investigation progressed, ESIC uncovered damning evidence including chat logs, call recordings, and IP correlations that implicated multiple team members in a sophisticated match-fixing operation. What initially began as suspicions against four individuals eventually expanded to seven team members as new evidence came to light.

The Penalties

The harshest punishments were handed to three individuals who received lifetime bans from all ESIC-affiliated tournaments:

Gan-Erdene "dobu" Batbold, who allegedly orchestrated the scheme, offered bribes to teammates, and collaborated with criminal organizations
Bat-Enkh "kabal" Batbayar, who worked closely with dobu and participated in betting activities
Ana-Erdene "nuka" Baasantogtokh, the team analyst who provided intentionally incorrect tactical instructions to influence match outcomes

Team coach and CEO Tuguldur "flyNN" Gansuk received a three-year ban for failing to prevent the manipulations despite being aware of them. Meanwhile, Temuulen "MiQ" Byambadalai was handed a one-year suspension for failing to report violations and accepting money to participate in the scheme.

The team's newer members, Otgonlkhagva "AccuracyTG" Batjargal and Munkhsaikhan "zesta" Erdenebaatar, have received eight-month bans for failing to report suspicious activities they observed within the team.

Community Response

The community reaction to the ATOX match-fixing scandal has been one of shock and concern, as this represents one of the most significant integrity breaches in recent Counter-Strike history. While the scandal is still relatively fresh-with ESIC's final decision being issued just a month ago on April 15, 2025-several key responses have emerged from the broader esports ecosystem.

What has especially disturbed the community is the revelation that ATOX's match-fixing operation allegedly had connections to Chinese criminal syndicates. This aspect has elevated concerns beyond typical competitive integrity issues to questions about organized crime infiltrating esports. The involvement of offshore accounts and front accounts to conceal betting activities has raised serious alarms about the vulnerability of the esports ecosystem to criminal elements.

This scandal serves as a stark reminder of the importance of integrity in esports and the severe consequences that await those who compromise competitive fairness. As the industry continues to grow in popularity and financial stakes increase, maintaining the legitimacy of competition remains paramount for the long-term health of professional Counter-Strike and the broader esports ecosystem.

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Featured Image Credits: ATOX on X

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