CS:GO: Ukrainian top team NAVI fires Russian captain for ‘high reputation risk’

Natus Vincere is one of the best teams in the world in the tactical shooter Counterstrike: Global Offensive (Steam). The CS:GO team is based in Ukraine, but had three Russians in the line-up, with whom they were very successful. But the situation surrounding the war in Ukraine now seems to divide the team: Captain Kirill “Boobml4” Mikhaylov (23) has to go. NAVI expressly says: The separation has nothing to do with his performance in the game.

Which player is it about?

• Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhaylov was the in-game boss of Natus Vincere, he is considered “the brains” of the team. Natus Vincere also features s1mple, a Ukrainian who is considered the best CS:GO player in the world.
• Boobml4 is a veteran CS:GO player: he turned pro in 2016 and has earned over $1 million in prize money during his time. In 2021 alone he raked in $830,000: after all, Natus Vincere won a few well-paid tournaments last year.
• The Russian has been at NAVI since May 2019, he has been the captain since September 2019 and has won many titles. But now the career of the Booml4 at NAVI is over.

Decision has nothing to do with his game

What the team says: The team announces that Booml4 has parted ways after the Antwerp major. The team finished second there and raked in $150,000.

It says (via navi.gg):

The decision relates to the high reputational risk for the club, it’s not the result of his game.

How you want to replace Booml4, you would like to announce later. There is no further official information.

The team’s top player, s1mple, said somewhat resignedly on Twitter that that’s just the way the world works. He thanks the player and says: Without Boombl4, the team would not have achieved any of the successes they achieved together.

Player spoke again and again for peace, apologizes for his wife

This is what the player had previously said: Even if no one says it so openly, the war by Russia in Ukraine is apparently behind the dismissal.

The captain said several weeks before his release, in a statement May 5 (via escorenews): He’s sorry that he’s been silent about everything for so long. He apologizes for the behavior of his wife Lika.

The Russian says he has often been to Ukraine and has never been discriminated against. He is sorry that other citizens believe television. It’s hard for sensible people like him to say things at this time.

He knows that many will not be happy with this news, but he wants to say that he speaks for peace and against the bloodshed.

He couldn’t say more now.

What do you think is behind it? Natus Vincere is a Ukrainian team: the team’s boss had said he wasn’t ready to work with Russian players who continue to live in Russia. The three Russian professionals from Natus Vincere then agreed to emigrate.

However, it is now unclear whether Boombl4 reversed this decision and therefore had to leave.

Boombl4 is known to have spoken out in favor of peace ever since the war in Ukraine began. However, his wife has pledged her support to Russia. This is how she showed herself on Instagram with the Russian flag on her face and Russian tanks in the background.

Sportskeeda now suspects that Ukrainian team NAVI could use this situation as a reason to part ways with Boombl4.

It is known that Russian citizens put themselves in personal danger when they speak critically about the war. It is therefore extremely difficult for Russians living in Russia to take a clear and critical stance on their country’s war of aggression in Ukraine. Even if some in the West would like that of you:

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