Belgian Counter-Strike player Nicolas Keoz Dgus has gone public with serious allegations against Ukrainian esports organisation kONO.ECF, claiming the team breached his contract by failing to pay his guaranteed salary for December.
The situation has quickly escalated into a public back and forth, with Keoz accusing the organisation of pressure, threats, and attempts to discredit him, while kONO strongly denies any wrongdoing and insists all obligations have been fulfilled.
Keoz Says Contract Was Breached
Keoz first shared his claims on social media on 18 January, stating that kONO had not paid his guaranteed December salary despite a clear contractual obligation to do so by a specific date each month. According to the player, he was only asking for the minimum salary guaranteed in his contract.
KONO has breached my contract.
Organisation of Ukrainian football player @kono10official have not paid my guaranteed salary for December, despite a valid obligation to pay no later than the X day of each month.
I am asking for nothing more than the minimum salary guaranteed by…
— Keoz (@KeozBEAST) January 18, 2026
Instead of payment, Keoz alleges he was met with pressure, threats, and attempts to discredit his reputation. He later added that when he continued to request payment, he was told the amount was insignificant and that he should stop insisting, a remark he says misses the point entirely.
“This is not about making someone richer,” Keoz explained. “This is about respecting a signed contract and basic professional standards.”
Roster Inactivity And Salary Dispute
A key part of Keoz’s argument centres on the team’s inactivity in December. He stated that he was not officially benched, suspended, or sanctioned in any way. Instead, he claims the organisation simply chose not to use the roster during that period.
According to Keoz, this decision does not allow for salary reductions under the terms of his contract, regardless of match participation or internal team decisions. Despite this, he says payment was still withheld.
Match-Fixing Claims And Integrity Review
The dispute took a more serious turn when Keoz revealed that he was later confronted with accusations of match-fixing, based on what he described as anonymous information. He was asked to undergo a polygraph test, something he claims only surfaced after the organisation had already breached the contract.
Keoz stressed that integrity investigations in esports follow established procedures and should never be used as a tool to avoid paying salaries already owed. While he stated he is willing to cooperate with any legitimate investigation, he noted that polygraph tests are not part of standard ESIC procedures to his knowledge.
Legal Action And Public Statement
After more than a month of silence, Keoz said he issued a formal legal demand to kONO and informed the organisation that he would speak publicly if the matter was not resolved. He maintained that he wanted to settle the issue privately and professionally, but felt left with no alternative.
The organisation is co-owned by former Ukrainian international footballer Yevhen Konoplyanka, whom Keoz publicly named in his posts, expressing hope that the co-owners are aware of how players are being treated.
kONO Responds To The Allegations
On 19 January, kONO issued a detailed statement through its official account, addressing the situation and pushing back against Keoz’s claims. The organisation confirmed that roster changes are in progress but said official announcements will only be made later this month.
All obligations have always been fulfilled toward everyone. However, when someone attempts to “exploit loopholes” or issue ultimatums, this is unacceptable, and it must be understood that such actions may receive a response.#kONOGO
— kONO.ECF (@konoecf) January 19, 2026
kONO denied ever withholding salary payments unlawfully and stated that all contractual and additional obligations have always been fulfilled. The organisation claimed that Keoz had an outstanding financial debt to the team, which should have been resolved months earlier.
According to kONO, both parties agreed that the full salary payment would be made in the final month of the year, taking mutual settlements into account. The organisation acknowledged that the phrase about the amount being insignificant was used, but said it was part of a private conversation and not intended to dismiss payment obligations.
Organisation Addresses Integrity Review And Communication
kONO also rejected claims that the roster was deliberately kept inactive as a form of punishment, calling such suggestions illogical given the financial cost and lack of sporting benefit.
Regarding the integrity review, the organisation stated that Keoz was asked to participate in a standard preventive procedure based on information received, and emphasised that no conclusions or public accusations were made against him.
The organisation further claimed that communication was moved to a strictly formal, written format at the player’s request, and alleged that it later received messages from individuals claiming to represent Keoz, warning of reputational consequences if payment was not made within three days. kONO said it requested proof of authority in line with confidentiality rules and received no further response.
The statement concluded by saying the organisation does not accept ultimatums or reputational pressure, and that all disputes will be handled strictly within legal and contractual frameworks.
What Happens Next
At the time of writing, Keoz has confirmed he is pursuing legal action, while kONO has stated it will not respond further to messages from the player regarding the dispute. Despite the controversy, the team has continued to compete, recently returning to HLTV action after its inactive December period.
The case highlights ongoing concerns around contracts, payments, and player protections in esports, an industry that continues to grow faster than its regulatory frameworks.