garfield and SEMPHIS ruled out for Gaimin Gladiators in ECL Season 40 playoffs

Dust2.us has confirmed with ESL league operations that Gaimin Gladiators have been denied emergency transfers to add both Otto "garfield" Netteberg and Kory "SEMPHIS" Friesen to their roster until the off-season.

As a result, the team will be forced to continuing enlisting the services of their retired substitute, Riley "Reality" Fusch, as they head into playoffs.

Dust2.us understands the issue relates to a decision by ChocoCheck to register Reality as a substitute on February 21st when they added David "cynic" Polster to the roster. Under the current ECL Roster Restrictions rulebook, team are allowed to add two players, coaches, or substitutes to their lineup during the regular season.

During the regular season, participants can make up to two (2) player additions. Any player additions must be made no later than two (2) hours before the participant’s next scheduled match start time. No additions can be made during the playoffs or relegation stage.

With the team wasting a roster move on a substitute who was unlikely to play, ChocoCheck/Gaimin Gladiators exhausted their pool of normal roster changes for the season, ruling out the new duo.

The team did attempt to apply for an emergency transfer to add garfield and SEMPHIS, Dust2.us understands. However, ESL denied that request as the team had no realistic obstacles to finishing the season as they already had five players registered.

For some context on the situation Gaimin Gladiators now find themselves, Reality has been retired since August 2020 after leaving to join the early VALORANT fad gripping NA players. Despite his retirement, he does have some semi-recent experience, having played Fragadelphia 15 on NA's Finest alongside Carson "nosraC" O'Reilly, Dominick "JazzPimp" Dimpfel, Bobby "stamina" Eitremm, and Danny "cxzi" Strzelczyk.

As such, Gaimin Gladiators will finish the season with:

• Carson "nosraC" O'Reilly

• Dominick "JazzPimp" Dimpfel

• Jeorge "jeorgesnorts" Endicott

• David "cynic" Polster

• Riley "Reality" Fusch (Stand-in)

On the other side of the equation, X13 have greatly benefited from Gaimin Gladiators' mistake, as garfield has offered to play their final ESL Challenger League Season 40 match against MIBR. The return of their best player is welcome for the squad as their only other option was to use their own retired player, Marshall "Jonesy" Jones, in a must-win match versus the Brazilians.

garfield's former comrades must beat MIBR tonight or face automatic relegation to ESEA Advanced Season 41 while ending ECL Season 40 with an unenviable 1-6 record.

X13 will finish the season with:

• Matthew "scar" Bruni

• Max "Makzwell" Sparrey

• Alec "halo" Sacry

• Reece "Wilky" Wilkerson

• Otto "garfield" Netteberg (Stand-in)

• Kieran "KayJay" Playfair (Coach)