The ESIC hand out another sanction, this time for CSGO Pro Niko, alongside Hunden. This is for their abuse of the “Spectator Bug” in 2020, and Hunden alleged Niko was aware they were abusing a bug to dominate other teams. When Hunden was originally implicated as one of the CSGO coaches abusing the spectator bug and received a sanction, he claimed other players on the team knew about it – which led to Niko’s punishment. The ESIC claim Niko “admitted his complicity in the cheating exploits of [HUNDEN] and is, therefore, guilty of breaching the ESIC Code of Conduct.”

Hunden reportedly accused everyone except b0RUP of being aware of the spectator bug. This bug allowed coaches to set their cameras to watch parts of the match they should not have access to. They would then have access to what the other team is doing, allowing for much easier matches. TeSeS, cadiaN, b0RUP, and stavn were all cleared by the ESIC. So why did CSGO pro Niko receive an ESIC sanction? 

According to the Heroic Report made by the ESIC, there was a “voice recording and transcripts of Mr. Petersen’s conversation with Nikolaj “niko” Kristensen.” However, Niko was not banned by the ESIC. Instead, he is going to receive a “severe public reprimand”, and “one-on-one education sessions with the ESIC Commissioner.” However, if he doesn’t comply, then he will be suspended for a minimum of 30 days. 

It’s being said that HUNDEN used a diagnosis of Niko to his own benefit. Specifically, Niko has ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome:

“Mr. Kristensen has ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome. Upon consulting with the ADHD and Asperger’s Team at the National Autistic Society and the ADHD Foundation, ESIC was informed that this would have significantly impacted his ability to know right from wrong, make values-based decisions on his own and communicate effectively in a conventional way.“

As a result, Niko is fairly dependent on people that he trusts, and HUNDEN fostered a relationship with Niko and developed that trust at a critical moment. According to the report, Niko trusted and respected HUNDEN, and it was clear to see that the relationship was created for this purpose. As a result, he did what he was told by HUNDEN, without understanding the implications of what he was doing. HUNDEN is still banned for two years for breaching the Code of Conduct back on August 27th, for leaking strategies to other teams previously. 

While there’s no proof that the rest of the team actually participated in cheating, Niko had this conversation with HUNDEN. The ESIC Commissioner found himself sympathetic to Nikolaj “niko” Kristensen, given his personality and his conditions. He went on to say he feels Niko was “ruthlessly manipulated and set up” by HUNDEN. This could have led Niko to incriminate himself and his teammates. There’s no excuse for taking advantage of someone in such a way. It’s a fascinating read, the report, and we recommend anyone vested in this situation go take a read.