Santiago "TaiLung" Agüero: "I have not participated in betting, match-fixing, or any other misconduct"

Suspicions arose after information surfaced about an account placing large bets on LGD Gaming matches. According to the esports player, he did not understand why he was linked to this situation and later voluntarily provided his phone for inspection. During the check, team representatives found an old Discord conversation related to the Zeinternacional tournament, but the player insists it was a joking conversation and not related to any match-fixing agreement.

The esports player also confirmed that during the inspection, he threw his phone after receiving a message from an unknown number. The sender claimed to be his mother and mentioned money. TaiLung admitted his reaction was a mistake and apologized to his teammates, but emphasized that this incident does not prove his involvement in betting or match-fixing.

"First of all, I want to apologize for the inconvenience and concern this situation may have caused. Until now, I preferred to remain silent, but I consider it necessary to publicly explain my perspective on what I've been through in recent days," he wrote.

The player explained that after learning about bets placed on his matches, he began to feel under suspicion. On August 6, LGD released a statement saying no suspicious behavior was found. On August 7, the team asked him to provide his phone for inspection, which he agreed to do.

During the inspection, they found an old Discord conversation with a friend related to the Zeinternacional period — a completely different tournament. In that conversation, a friend joked with him about money, and he went along with the joke. He admitted it was a mistake to continue such a conversation but insisted he never accepted any offers or made any agreements.

A crucial moment was a message from an unknown number received during the inspection. The sender claimed to be his mother and mentioned a certain amount of money. TaiLung noted that the number did not belong to his mother, and this was visible to everyone present. Under immense pressure, he reacted impulsively by throwing the phone.

"I want to take responsibility for this reaction. It was a mistake, and I fully understand that it could have further increased the suspicions against me," he stated. The player also asked LGD and PGL for clarity on the exact reasons for his suspension and any concrete evidence against him.

On August 9, TaiLung was disqualified from The International 2026 and issued a lifetime ban from PGL tournaments. His spot on the roster was taken by Topias "Topson" Taavitsainen.