The now disbanded team used to compete under the Gambit banner before Riot Games sanctioned Russian organizations following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Ayaz “nAts” Akhmetshin, the star player for M3 Champions, left the organization in August, and Bogdan “Sheydos” Naumov parted ways with the team earlier this week. According to the report, the players were hoping that certain teams would be selected for the partnership franchise offered by Valorant so that they could guarantee a place in the league together, but they were unable to guarantee an offer of any kind.
Prior to the imposition of sanctions against Gambit, M3C Champions was rated the top-rated Valorant squad in the CIS province and among the strongest in Europe in general. At the time they were still using the Gambit moniker, NAts, Nikita “d3ffo” Sudakov, Chronicle, Redgar, and Sheydos were all members of the team that triumphed over Team Envy in the tournament’s championship match. They earned first place overall at the Masters Berlin competition, which was held in September of the previous year. Even though they were defeated by Acend in a tough match that ended with a score of 3-2, they were still able to finish in second place overall at the Valorant Champions 2021 tournament.
Nonetheless, the team’s performance this season has not lived up to expectations. The M3 Champions did not finish strong enough in either season of the EMEA Challengers to secure a place in the Masters tournament in Reykjavik or Copenhagen, so they were not able to qualify for either of those events. After that, they participated in the final of the EMEA’s Last Chance qualifier for Valorant Champions 2022, but they were ousted by Team Liquid, and as a consequence, they finished the year without appearing on an international stage.
The end of the 2022 Valorant Champions on September 18 ushered in the commencement of the offseason for the Valorant scene, and the coming days are expected to see a rise in the number of player transfers.
For the time being, the erstwhile M3 Champions players do not have a precise idea of what lies ahead. According to reports, the players have reportedly received offers from teams based in North America. However, it is highly unlikely that they will move to another continent due to the import bans that are placed on Russian players. Rather than joining the EMEA partnership league, it is likely that each player will look for individual offers to take part.
]]>Following the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, members of the Gambit Esports team were barred from competing in Riot tournaments and were forced to form the independent roster known as M3 Champions.
The 20-year-old Russian player noted he is ready to start a new phase in his career as a professional player and made the announcement of his free agency. He also expressed his gratitude to Gambit and hoped that he would reunite with his old teammates in the near future.
Sheydos was an invaluable catalyst to the victory that M3 Champions and Gambit achieved in Valorant. In September of the previous year, the squad won the VCT Masters Berlin tournament by adeptly defeating Team Envy in the championship match. After a tough battle against Acend, which they ultimately lost 3-2, they were able to secure second place overall at the Valorant Champions 2021 tournament.
Nonetheless, the team has fallen short of expectations this season. The M3 Champions were not able to qualify for the Reykjavik or Copenhagen Masters events since they could not place high enough in either season of the EMEA Challengers to earn a spot. Subsequently, they competed in the final of the EMEA’s Last Chance qualifier for Valorant Champions 2022, but they were defeated by Team Liquid, and as a result, they ended the year without starring on an international stage.
The conclusion of the 2022 Valorant Champions on September 18 marked the beginning of the offseason for the professional Valorant scene, and the next few days are likely to see an increase in the number of player transfers.
According to reports, North American teams have extended offers to the players in question. However, it is highly improbable that the players will accept those proposals due to the import bans that are placed on Russian players. It is likely that the players will make an effort to sign with a team competing in the EMEA league.
]]>