Karmine Corp has suspended its League of Legends European Championship (LEC) Assistant Coach Žiga “Apples” Jereb after a wave of misconduct allegations surfaced online.

Le club a pris connaissance de potentiels éléments concernant un collaborateur ne correspondant pas aux standards de professionnalisme attendus par le club.

Une enquête interne a été initiée dès les premiers éléments apparus ce matin sur les réseaux sociaux. En attente des…

— Karmine Corp (@KarmineCorp) September 28, 2025

The French esports giant announced on Sunday that Apples has been suspended with immediate effect while the organisation conducts an internal investigation into the claims.

Allegations Surface Online

The controversy broke out on September 28 when multiple posts appeared on social media accusing Apples of inappropriate behaviour towards female fans of Karmine Corp. The screenshots, now circulating widely, suggest that he allegedly used his position to make unwanted advances and shared confidential scrim information with supporters in an attempt to impress them.

Apples qui leak absolument TOUT nos try out LEC/LFL scrims etc à des meufs https://t.co/H4JLt8eauc pic.twitter.com/It2PlaAEK5

— RDM (@RO1DUMONDE) September 28, 2025

Some testimonies also claim that Apples pressured fans into silence to protect his role within the team. One individual alleged he threatened self-harm if his behaviour was ever made public, a tactic experts recognise as a form of emotional abuse.

Former professional player Jakob “Jackspektra” Gullvåg Kepple also came forward, accusing Apples of sabotaging his early career by misleading teams during the off-season. Meanwhile, Zero Tenacity owner Dimitrije “Hebibrows” Malesevic alleged that Apples attempted to exploit insider roster information for betting purposes.

When I was first starting out in esports apples reached out to me and asked me what teams I was thinking about joining, me being naive I told him both my options

He then went to both of the teams and told them I wouldn’t join so he could bring in his own roster 👍 https://t.co/xJUyWpuh6O

— Jackspektra (@Jackspektra) September 28, 2025

Karmine Corp Responds

In an official statement, Karmine Corp confirmed it was aware of the accusations and had launched an internal probe:

“The club has become aware of potential issues concerning an employee that do not align with the standards of professionalism expected by the club. An internal investigation was initiated as soon as the first elements appeared. Pending the conclusion of this investigation, the employee has been suspended with immediate effect.”

CEO Kamel “Kameto” Kebir also addressed the issue during a livestream. He told fans that Karmine Corp “will always stand up for the victims” and encouraged anyone with evidence to come forward. However, he admitted that some within the organisation had prior knowledge of Apples’ behaviour, conceding that background checks had not been thorough enough.

“Depending on the results of the investigations, there will be consequences,” Kameto said. “I realise there are many things that need to change, and there will be some sorting out.”

A Wider Problem in Esports

The case is the latest in a string of misconduct scandals across competitive gaming in 2025. Just weeks ago, FlyQuest suspended top laner Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau following controversial remarks about women in esports, while FunPlus Phoenix benched Cai “Milkyway” Zi-Jun indefinitely in August for alleged rule violations in the LPL.

The allegations against Apples have also reignited concerns about the treatment of women in the League of Legends community. Some fans expressed frustration online, suggesting that his behaviour was an “open secret” for years that only came to light under mounting public pressure.

What’s Next

Apples, who joined Karmine Corp in early 2024 and was part of the coaching staff when the team won the 2025 LEC Winter Playoffs, remains suspended as the investigation continues.

Karmine Corp has not yet revealed when the inquiry will conclude or whether Apples will return to his role. For now, the situation remains a major test for one of Europe’s most popular esports organisations as it battles to rebuild trust with fans and the wider community.

The post Karmine Corp Suspends LEC Assistant Coach Apples Amid Misconduct Investigation appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

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.

The post EWC Scandal: Falcons Fans Accused of Shining Lasers at Aurora Players appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Chinese Counter-Strike 2 player Sike “z4kr” Zhang playing for Lynn Vision is at the centre of a storm after serious allegations surfaced on Chinese social media this week.

The controversy began on Weibo, where a user claiming to be z4kr’s girlfriend posted screenshots and files said to be from the Lynn Vision Gaming sniper’s phone. The posts alleged that z4kr was romantically involved with multiple women at the same time, including a TV presenter, a streamer, and even the girlfriend of a teammate, while presenting himself to each as their only partner.

The accusations go further, claiming he offered hush money to a fan after an encounter fell through, and that more than 4,000 explicit photos and videos were found on his phone, allegedly used for blackmail. There are also claims he contracted sexually transmitted infections during the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 and continued sleeping with his partners upon returning to China.

Lynn Vision AWPer – 🇨🇳 z4kr exposed for juggling multiple girlfriends — scandal shakes Chinese CS scene.

z4kr faces serious accusations:

— Late December: flirted & dated a fan, promised to make her his mistress, then offered ¥50,000 (~$6.9k) for silence. She later fell into… pic.twitter.com/9o7Hx7wqGh

— CSGORUN (@csgorun_family) August 13, 2025

The story quickly spread online, with sports and esports outlet Dongqiudi publishing a detailed account of the claims. Since then, other women have come forward on Weibo saying they were also involved with the player and are now preparing a joint lawsuit. One alleged victim stated that Lynn Vision Gaming’s management is aware of the situation and could be looking to remove him from the roster. At the time of writing, z4kr has not commented publicly.

Who is z4kr?
Born in 2002, Sike “z4kr” Zhang is one of China’s most prominent CS2 players. He began his professional career in 2019 with 8EASY before joining Lynn Vision Gaming, where he has played over 300 matches and earned around USD $47,000 in prize money. Known for his sharp AWP skills and strategic play, he’s appeared in roughly 75 tournaments, with multiple top-three finishes in events like ESL Challenger League and BLAST Rising.

We are on day two and z4kr might have already pulled off the play of the tournament 🤯 pic.twitter.com/cgBcPXlAwC

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) July 16, 2025

The unexpected sticker surge
While the allegations have shaken the Chinese esports scene, they’ve also had an unusual side effect in the CS2 trading market. Traders have noticed a sudden spike in the price of z4kr’s player stickers since the news broke. With no fresh drops expected and supply limited, some are viewing this as a speculative opportunity.

Drama kills careers – traders eat😄

z4kr stickers are climbing after the player scandal and with no new drops coming, supply’s capped.

Selling or stacking? pic.twitter.com/3WuCn4lbtx

— lis-skins (@lisskins) August 13, 2025

Whether these allegations mark the end of z4kr’s career or just a turbulent chapter remains to be seen, but for now, his name is dominating headlines for all the wrong reasons, both inside and outside the server.

The post Chinese CS2 Star z4kr Faces Allegations of Cheating and Blackmail appeared first on Shane the Gamer.