With the kick-off of the most important event on the DOTA 2 scene just days away, Valve had to make the decision to cancel the audience attendance for The International 10.
ALL DOES NOT GO AS PLANNED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL 10
Originally planned for Stockholm, Sweden, Valve had to make the decision to move The International 10 to another country following a decision by the Swedish government. After several days without giving any news, Valve confirmed that The International 10, the Dota 2 championship, will finally take place this year in October in Bucharest, Romania. On September 17, Valve revealed plans to sell tickets for the TI10, confirming the public’s attendance for the main event and the implementation of a strict sanitary protocol. A few days before the kickoff of the tournament, Valve unfortunately had to revise their plans for the presence of the public, making the decision to play The International behind closed doors. From now on, only the teams,
Valve has confirmed that this decision was made to ensure the “safety of all players, casters and production staff attending the event” and will begin the process of refunding all ticket sales.
We have carefully assessed the continued rise in Covid rates in Romania, as well as the resulting introduction of new local restrictions in Bucharest. We wanted nothing more than to welcome fans live to the event, but we can no longer do so in a way that allows us to prioritize the health and well-being of audience members and some participants.
The move to close The International 10 to the public comes after all 10 members of Team Aster, along with several Invictus Gaming players, tested positive for COVID-19 and self-quarantined at their Bucharest hotels , In Romania. Valve noted that the new local restrictions in Bucharest regarding COVID also played a role in this decision.
