Monkeylay handed two-year ban by ESIC over betting offenses

The esports watchdog has slapped the Turkish player with a lengthy suspension following multiple breaches of its anti-corruption code.

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has announced that it has banned Burak "⁠Monkeylay⁠" Can Turunç for two years following "multiple breaches" of its anti-corruption code during the playoff stage of ESL Turkey Championship Season 12 while playing for NOCHANCE.

ESIC's investigation, which included examining "betting records, account registrations, digital footprints, and betting patterns", found that the Turkish player bet against his own team during the tournament and engaged "in practices that influence the outcome of matches for betting purposes."

NOCHANCE were defeated 2-0 by The Chosen Few in the semi-finals of the tournament in the question. That was Monkeylay's second and last competitive match on record.

According to ESIC, Monkeylay did not respond to the notice of charge or to a plea bargain deal offer. In light of this, the esports watchdog was "left with no alternative" but to sanction the player, who is barred from competing in all ESIC member events until September 6, 2025, two years from the date when the initial notice of charge was issued.

Monkeylay's ban is the second disciplinary action taken against a Counter-Strike player in less than two months. On September 20, ESIC provisionally suspended former GODSENT player Joel "⁠joel⁠" Holmlund over alleged multiple breaches of its anti-corruption code, including placing two bets against his own team in a match.

The esports watchdog has yet to announce the final outcome of the case, with joel maintaining his innocence. "They are accusing me of several stuff I didn't do, and that's fairly obvious," he wrote following the announcement of his suspension.