SunPayus misses out on a Singapore Major sticker: he was one match short with FUT

Álvaro "SunPayus" García's week in Bucharest had two sides. FUT reached the PGL Masters Bucharest playoffs without losing a match, but fell in the quarter-finals, and that defeat has a consequence that goes beyond the event: the Spaniard will have no sticker of his own at the Singapore Major.

Out against Nemiga

FUT had finished the Swiss stage 3-0 after beating TYLOO, Liquid and Vitality. In the quarter-finals they faced Nemiga, the surprise package of the event, and lost 2-0.

The defeat on Nuke was especially painful: FUT went into the break 9-3 up, but Nemiga took the second pistol round, strung rounds together and closed the map 13-11. On Dust2 the game was level until 9-9, and from there Nemiga won the remaining four rounds, with khaN decisive on the AWP. SunPayus finished the series with 32 kills and 28 deaths.

Four matches out of five

The problem is the rulebook. For a new signing to count on a team's roster for the Major, he must have played five official matches with them before invitations go out on 2 November. With the quarter-final exit, SunPayus is stuck on four.

FUT have received their Major invitation and will start directly in Stage 2. But according to HLTV's reading of the rules, reported by outlets including Cybersport and Fragster, the exit has two consequences. First, FUT's Major sticker will belong to Nikita "cmtry" Samolotov, the player SunPayus replaced, who still counts on the roster for VRS purposes. Second, SunPayus can play the Major with FUT, but only as a substitute.

FUT could have avoided this by playing another eligible LAN before 2 November, but didn't.

The knock-on effect: cmtry

The situation also affects cmtry, who has already joined Astralis, also invited to Stage 2. Because he is still tied to FUT's roster, he won't be able to play the Major for his new team either: when a player appears on two invited teams, priority goes to the higher-ranked side in the VRS, in this case FUT. Astralis has not yet confirmed who will take his place.

The result is a paradox: SunPayus can play in Singapore but without a sticker, while cmtry will have a sticker at a Major he cannot play.

Source: HLTV, Cybersport, Fragster, Pley.