Anonymo accuses NiP of “pressuring” Flashpoint to force controversial rematch

Anonymo and Ninjas in Pyjamas will be replaying their CSGO match from Round One of Flashpoint Season 3, after the results of the first matchup were contested by NiP.

Almost immediately after Anonymo beat NiP 2-1 in the first round, the Swedish org put out a statement complaining they had experienced a number of technical issues during the match, and were basically forced to play with a handicap.

NiP brought this up during the match which led to a lengthy pause in play, but tournament organizers decided at the time, according to the team, that they would just have to finish the best of three, packet loss or not. 

After the match, Anonymo initially seemed to back up the complaints, but a few days after the scores were officially in the books, the Polish team claimed NiP were “pressuring” FACEIT tournament organizers “on a business level” who were then pressuring them to replay the match.

Anonymo accuses NiP of “pressuring” FACEIT

“We are currently getting pressured from both Ninjas in Pyjamas and the organizers of Flashpoint to replay the match that has taken place on 14th of May 2021,” Anonymo said in their statement, which came out before the rematch announcement. “At the first timeout (1:1 in rounds) we offered to reschedule it as soon as we heard about the technical problems of NiP — they did not choose to do that.”

The org’s release is adamant that they were more than willing to cooperate at the time, and are “very emotional about the situation” regarding the now-confirmed rematch.

“We are under the impression that FACEIT is being pressured by NiP on a business level,” the org claimed. “We are very emotional about the situation — we know that something like that would not happen in any other sport and esports tournament. We wanted to do everything in the competitive spirit of fair play. NiP does not seem to care about that at all.”

Roughly 45 minutes after Anonymo put out their statement, Flashpoint put out one of their own announcing a rematch between the two sides, originally set to take place just a half-hour after their tweet went out.

Flashpoint announces a controversial rematch

Perhaps because of this, or other difficulties making the match happen on such short notice, the tournament would put out another update stating the match was “originally scheduled for Sunday, May 16th, but is currently being rescheduled and no official re-match time has been confirmed.”

• Read More: Ninjas in Pyjamas hit out at Flashpoint organizers after loss

Along with Anonymo’s earlier claims, many in the community were disappointed with Flashpoint and the FACEIT organizers for the decision.

NiP releases timeline of events

Following the announcement, then postponement of the rematch, Ninjas in Pyjamas decided to release a timeline of events, where they claim Anonymo refused to play on Sunday, and accused their statement of being “Shockingly misleading.”

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“17. Anonymo immediately posts a shockingly misleading statement on social media,” NiP said in their timeline. “Fueling a massive frenzy of speculation among esports professionals and the wider CSGO community.”

NiP’s chief operating officer Jonas Gundersen went on to call Anonymo’s claims his org was somehow pressuring Flashpoint for a rematch “disgraceful.”

“Our players didn’t push for a rematch here – we did. All they want is acknowledgement that the playing conditions were unacceptable,” Gundersen wrote along with NiP’s timeline. “They have been ready to play upper or lower bracket. We aren’t pressuring anyone. The lies put forward in the Anonymo statement are disgraceful.”

In addition to both NiP and Anonymo’s current Flashpoint progress basically being nullified, Hyenas will also have to wait until at least May 18 to face the winner of the rematch.

Exactly when the rematch between the two teams is happening on May 16 has yet to be announced, but it will obviously replace the scheduled Hyenas vs. NiP lower bracket match originally scheduled then.

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We’ll be sure to update you with the latest info right here as soon we have the details on this developing story.