The Esports World Cup (EWC) has been hit with yet another scandal after accusations surfaced that Falcons fans tried to sabotage Aurora by shining lights at their players during their match. But despite the chaos, Aurora pushed through and still secured the win, leaving fans praising their resilience while questioning the integrity of the tournament.
The first wave of outrage came from posts on Telegram and Reddit, which claimed Falcons supporters used laser pointers to blind Aurora’s players mid-game.
Image via CS2 News Telegram Channel
Things escalated further when Aurora CEO Valerii “L3rich” Kharitonov himself walked into the stands to stop it. Footage later surfaced showing him confronting the crowd, only for security to tell him off and warn him not to “cause a scene.” That moment alone left many fans fuming, with one calling it “pure madness” that security sided with disruptive fans instead of protecting the players.
But as the dust settled, debate turned to whether lasers were even used at all. Some translations of Russian and Turkish posts suggested it may have been phone flashlights rather than laser pointers. One fan who tried translating noted that Aurora player JottAAA said the flashes “distracted us during the games and blinded us,” while another confirmed he specifically mentioned being blinded by Falcons fans in the stands.
Even with this back-and-forth, the community agreed on one thing: the behaviour crossed the line. Whether it was laser pointers or simply dozens of phone torches aimed at players’ eyes, it directly impacted competitive play, and organisers should never have allowed it.
i also used google, just assumed because the ceo said laser pointers. Or maybe he just said he will bring them?
Either way, jotta said it blinded them, so its still fucked up that they didn’t stop it.
but thank you for clarification, i can read a bit of russian, but not well— March (@ItsMarrchy) August 23, 2025
Fans piled into Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) to slam the incident. Fans were calling it harassment, or even assault, given the potential for lasting eye damage. Several questioned how security allowed items like laser pointers or unchecked phones to be used in this way at such a major event.
Aurora’s CEO earned plenty of respect for refusing to ignore what was happening, even if it meant clashing with security. Many said his reaction showed leadership, while the silence from organisers spoke volumes.
Beyond the immediate drama, the scandal also reignited frustration with the EWC itself. Some fans called the event a “joke of a tournament,” while others worried about how scandals like this could tarnish its VRS system, which currently plays a big role in Major qualification. The sheer size of the prize pool means teams can’t realistically skip the event, but repeated issues like this leave a stain on its credibility.
Still, the bigger picture couldn’t overshadow the result: Aurora kept their composure, shut out Falcons 2-0, and proved that no amount of flashing lights could shake their focus. Falcons were left not only eliminated but also ridiculed, their fans’ antics making the loss sting even more.
Aurora take down Falcons to reach the Grand Final! pic.twitter.com/5vjavvS46g
— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) August 23, 2025
The memes and debates will fade, but the questions about fan behaviour, security standards, and the future of the EWC won’t be going away anytime soon.