Gaimin Gladiators carry Anton ‘dyrachyo’ Shkredov has explained why his teammate Erik ‘tOfu’ Engel is in doubt for The International 2023 because of visa problems.
tOfu’s availability for TI 2023 has been a big talking point in the Dota 2 scene since he revealed in June that he had had “a conflict in the USA” in the past and that he was trying to obtain a visa to enter the country.
The German support did not wish to go into detail about what happened, only adding that the process of obtaining a US visa was “complex”.
According to dyrachyo, the reason tOfu needs a US visa is that he is “banned” from the visa waiver program because of a trip to the country that went awry several years ago.
“TOfu had a tourist visa, and he said at the border that he was coming to work,” dyrachyo is quoted by escorenews as saying. “Europeans have a visa waiver program, but he is banned there. Can’t go for it just because he misspoke.
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“They turned him around and sent him back home. If you have a tourist visa, you can’t say that you are coming to earn money. So he will go through the embassy, just like I did. It all happened around six years ago, when he wasn’t a professional Dota player yet.”
tOfu’s availability for TI 2023 remains in doubt
It remains unclear at this point if tOfu will be able to secure a US visa in time for TI 2023, which kicks off on October 12.
The loss of tOfu would be a heavy blow for Gaimin Gladiators, who have been the dominant force in the Dota 2 scene this year. After finishing 9th-12th at The International 2022, the team went on a tear and won all three Majors in 2023 (Lima, Berlin, and Bali).
However, Gaimin Gladiators struggled for form at the Riyadh Masters, the $15 million tournament hosted in Saudi Arabia last month. After being knocked down to the lower bracket early in the playoffs, the team still survived three elimination series before losing to Talon Esports and finishing in fourth place.