Team Falcons coach Kurtis "Aui_2000" Ling clarified that it was his own decision to request his players avoid interactions with Russian content creator Alexander "Nix" Levin, countering claims that the directive came from the Falcons organisation itself.
"I’ve seen articles suggesting that Falcons asked the players not to communicate with Nix, but that's not true. I decided to ask them to avoid media activities involving Nix," Ling stated. He explained his stance, noting that Nix has a long-standing pattern of publicly criticising Skiter in a way that Ling considers excessive and unwarranted. While initially this criticism was focused solely on Dota 2, it has persisted over the years, leading Ling to disagree with Nix’s perspective on players and teams.
Moreover, Ling expressed that Nix had crossed a line when he allegedly used racial stereotypes to insult ATF. Ling explained, "I don’t want my team supporting individuals who insult our teammates in such ways. Providing content or interviews with him would feel like supporting him, and I don’t believe that aligns with my values as a coach. I acknowledge that I may be giving him attention by discussing this now, but there’s a clear difference between expert critique of Dota and personal attacks that include racial overtones."
Ling concluded by saying that he respects players’ opinions but felt it was his responsibility to set boundaries for team interactions, clarifying that he is not calling for sanctions against Nix but simply making his own position clear.