Palad's China tourney ban could spill to TI9

Carlo Palad could miss TI9 too.

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--The Chinese DOTA 2 community is really keen to give Carlo Palad the executioner's ax.

Team Secret operations director Matt Bailey revealed via Twitter that Palad and Andrei Ong may need to sit out The International 9, which will take place in Shanghai, as well.

"There is still a chance that this ban can be extended and block them from attending TI9," Bailey said.

It's not a rumor. Skemberlu and Kuku are both banned from attending the Chongqing Major. Col and TNC were both contacted prior to the event and were asked if they wanted to kick the players.

There is still a chance that this ban can be extended and block them from attending TI9.

— Matthew Bailey (@Cyborgmatt) November 24, 2018

Aside from that, he also bared that the organizers of the Chongqing Major will slap a 40 percent DOTA Pro Circuit point penalty on TNC even if the team will be required to replace Palad with a stand-in due to him getting banned from the said tournament.

There were cases in the past in which the penalty was waived due to a valid reason.

The most recent was the case of Ninjas In Pyjamas in the Kuala Lumpur Major, in which Neta Shapira, an Israeli, had to sit out due to Malaysia not giving visas to Israeli people. Ivan Ivanov took the place of Shapira as a stand-in to help NIP take a fourth place finish in the said major.

However, the stand-in requirement for TNC will come off a sanction to the player who will be replaced.

"The teams also believe that it would not be fair to punish TNC with DPC penalty points (-40% for a stand-in) if Kuku (Palad) is refused entry into the country," said Bailey.

Against the wishes of many teams, the major is still scheduled to go ahead in Chongqing at this moment in time.

The teams also believe that it would not be fair to punish TNC with DPC penalty points (-40% for a standin) if Kuku is refused entry into the country.

— Matthew Bailey (@Cyborgmatt) November 24, 2018

On the other hand, DOTA caster Jack Chen revealed that the Chongqing city government had a hand in slapping Palad and Ong with the Chongqing Major ban.

"The municipal government met to discuss after outrage and anger grew over what people in China felt was an inadequate or delayed response and reportedly came to the organizer saying: 'This event cannot have these two players,'" said Chen.

it's not a rumor, the municipal government met to discuss after outrage and anger grew over what people in China felt was an inadequate or delayed response and reportedly came to the organizer saying: "this event cannot have these two players"

— Jack Chen (@KBBQDotA) November 24, 2018

The ban on Palad and Ong, however, is only for the tournament proper, making Palad eligible to play for TNC in the Southeast Asian Qualifiers that will begin on Sunday.

Palad and Ong, who was already dropped from Complexity's roster, was meted out with sanctions from the organizers of the Chongqing Major due to racist remarks on their Chinese opponents.

[Related Story: Possible huge blow for TNC as Palad could get stern pre-Chongqing Major penalty]

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno