The Argentine team qualified for a Major for the first time, but they might miss it through no fault of their own. On May 21, BLAST.tv Austin Major organizers replaced BESTIA with Legacy — just five days before BESTIA expected visa approval for two players. The CS2 community quickly erupted, calling the move unjust.
Community support
In mid-May, BESTIA had only four eligible players, including a substitute. General Manager Alejandro “PapoMC” Lococo posted an emotional video. He explained that the team had been trying to get U.S. visas for three years. Once again, players tomaszin and luchov were denied, despite support letters, government backing, and a direct invite from BLAST.
The team traveled to Brazil to train and submitted visa applications again. They had little hope, but didn’t give up. In his message, PapoMC said they had just hours to confirm Major participation and begged the community to help. He later wrote:
I have just been confirmed by people who are helping us that Lucho and Tomi will have their visas on Monday. Help stop this injustice. Next week BESTIA will represent Argentina at the majors.
The response from the community has been incredible
The response was immediate. The post got over 1.7 million views and was reposted by dozens of players, coaches, and teams. Vitality’s apEX urged fans to “retweet for the dream.” OG, 9z, paiN, KRÜ, HEROIC, Falcons, and others publicly backed BESTIA. Fans flooded BLAST with messages demanding more time for the team.
Players noted: this wasn’t just any team. This was the first time Argentina would be on the Major stage. m0NESY, karrigan, Krimbo, Guerr1, s1n, dav1g, Gaules, and ohnePixel joined the wave of support.
They will get visa on time and be able to travel on major. They deserve to be there. It’s so unfair. They have all the info, all the documents proving that visa will be on time and they will travel to the ticking major. Answer them please, wrote m0NESY
WELL BLAST, wait a bit please. It’s needed, they deserve it, apEX added
Visas were promised to be granted, but BLAST has been replaced
Just days after the wave of support began, BESTIA shared good news. According to those helping with the process, luchov and tomaszin would receive visas on Monday, May 26. It seemed they just needed a few more days. But instead of waiting, BLAST sent an email confirming BESTIA’s removal. Legacy would take their place — a team BESTIA had beaten during qualifiers.
The early decision hurt. The players never got a chance to complete the process. There was no clear deadline, and fans saw it as BLAST ignoring a team fighting against the odds.
Legacy’s reaction and comparison with 9Pandas
Legacy CEO Ricardo Sinigaglia added fuel to the fire. He explained that if Legacy declined the slot, it would not return to BESTIA — but go to the next seeded team.
It’s a shame about the BESTIA situation, which needs to be rethought in all areas. If we had declined the invitation, it would have been ODDIK and not BESTIA that would have gone, – CEO Legacy, Ricardo Sinigaglia
Fans quickly compared this to PGL Major Copenhagen 2024. Back then, organizers waited for 9Pandas until just five days before the event. Why couldn’t BLAST do the same?
Final Thought
BESTIA’s story is a plea for common sense in a world full of rules. The community stood behind them. The team was close to clearing the final hurdle. But they were cut off with no chance to fight. Supporters are still calling on BLAST — and even Valve — to step in. Yet the longer silence continues, the less likely change becomes.
Visa issues are no longer rare. For teams from Latin America, Asia, and even Europe, getting U.S. visas has become a major challenge. Stricter immigration policies, many dating back to the Trump era, make it hard even with all the documents in order. Until tournament organizers adjust their timelines and rules to reflect these realities, scenes like this will keep repeating.
