LGD Gaming will compete at Dota 2 The International 2026 without mid laner Santiago “TaiLung” Agüero Gustavo. The organization confirmed on August 9 that the 17-year-old player has been barred from the world championship following a competitive integrity investigation.
Following a review of the matter, tournament organizers ruled that TaiLung is ineligible to participate in TI 2026. Additionally, PGL has issued a permanent ban preventing the player from competing in any of its future events. LGD Gaming stated they respect the decision and are cooperating with organizers to finalize their roster ahead of the tournament, which begins in Shanghai in the coming days.
Quick Facts
- Player: Santiago “TaiLung” Agüero Gustavo
- Tournament Impact: Barred from The International 2026 (TI 2026)
- League Impact: Permanently banned from all PGL events
- Organization Status: LGD Gaming is currently finalizing a replacement mid laner
TaiLung, who joined LGD in May after the organization acquired his former team, HEROIC, was noted for his performance at BLAST Slam VII this past June. During that event, he set a professional Dota 2 record by dealing over 275,000 hero damage as Zeus in a 111-minute match.
The ban follows recent activity from the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), which provisionally suspended players Oswaldo “DarkMago” Herrera and coach Juan “Vintage” Angulo of PlayTime in July. While prominent figures in the Dota 2 community have publicly referenced match-fixing in their reactions to TaiLung’s removal, tournament organizers and LGD Gaming have not released specific details regarding the violation.