Tournament organizer BLAST has issued a formal explanation following criticism regarding its decision to substitute BESTIA with Legacy at the upcoming Counter-Strike 2 Major in Austin, Texas. The move triggered strong reactions within the esports community, especially from fans and supporters of the Argentine team.
According to BLAST, the organization missed the final deadline of May 21st to confirm that all players had obtained the required U.S. visas. The company further noted that its action had received confirmation from Valve, the developer behind CS2.
Visa Troubles Lead to Substitution
The announcement came after two of BESTIA’s players — Martín ‘tomaszin’ Corna and Luciano ‘luchov’ Herrera — encountered difficulties in securing their travel visas. Despite this, BESTIA posted on social media that its players would receive the necessary documentation in time for the event’s opening phase on June 3rd. The team also accused BLAST of disregarding its latest updates, asserting that valid documents were indeed secured.
In response to this, BLAST reiterated its stance and confirmed the replacement of BESTIA with Brazilian organization Legacy. The new team is set to open the tournament against Lynn Vision from China.
BLAST’s Timeline and Statement
BLAST provided a detailed timeline, outlining efforts made to ensure all teams had sufficient time to prepare for the visa process. The communication began as early as February 14th, when teams were informed following the VRS rankings update.
Subsequent efforts included check-ins on April 23rd and 24th, and a full update was received on May 1st confirming that four players from BESTIA were in the process of applying. Despite multiple follow-ups and support, two players still lacked confirmed visas as of the final deadline.
A BLAST representative stated that a strict cutoff of May 21st at 5 PM CEST had been communicated. As of that time, the required confirmations had not been received. Although BESTIA contacted BLAST at 1:20 PM on the same day, expressing hope that interviews scheduled for May 22nd and 23rd would lead to visa approvals by the 26th or 27th, BLAST maintained that these were only appointments, not guarantees.
Legal Missteps and Valve’s Confirmation
Further complicating the matter, BLAST revealed that BESTIA’s initial visa efforts had been improperly handled without adequate legal guidance. The organization’s current legal advisor confirmed that the visa process began with errors, which contributed to the delay.
As of now, all other participating teams have secured the necessary documentation. While FlyQuest is still waiting on one final visa, the team has already registered a substitute who has completed the process.
Valve has supported BLAST’s course of action, giving legitimacy to the replacement of BESTIA with Legacy. This affirmation marks the final word on the roster change ahead of the tournament’s start.