Photo: Djardel Mampusti
TI 2021 took place across 10 days in the Romanian capital Bucharest, and was won by Team Spirit.
However, while the team have received the congratulations of Vladimir Putin, several Filipino players - both for Team Spirit and others - have been left in a bit of a pickle. The authorities in the Philippines have tightened regulations around the coronavirus pandemic, with Romania being designated a "red zone".
This means the players are stuck in Romania, with no resolution in immediate sight. They have sent SOS to several organizations and prominent politicians, hoping for answers.
Players concerned include Abed Yusop (Evil Geniuses), Djardel “DJ” Mampusti and Marc “Raven” Polo Luis Fausto (Fnatic), Carlo “Kuku” Palad and Karl “Karl” Baldovino (T1).
Perhaps the only consolation is that there's enough players to make a stack and play some games...
One solution might be to travel to another country not on the Filipino red list, spend several days in quarantine, and then fly back to the Philippines.
Hopefully there'll be a resolution soon and the players can return home.
The pinnacle of competitive Dota 2 will take place in the Romanian capital in October, after having to move from original host Sweden due to pandemic restrictions.
