Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhaylov has been dropped from NAVI’s CS:GO team. Following the demotion of the Russian in-game leader, electroNic’s whereabouts are also in doubt.
Mikhaylov has been removed from the team.
Major winner Boombl4 is no longer part of NAVI’s active CS:GO lineup since the end of PGL Major Antwerp 2022. This was announced by the Ukrainian organisation on Saturday on the official (NAVI homepage). Due to the Ukraine conflict, the Russian in-game leader has to give way.
“The reasons for this decision are related to the high reputational risk to the organisation,” NAVI’s decision reads. Boombl4’s removal, it says, has nothing to do with his style of play. Rather, it is about his continued association with his home country of Russia.
A day before the announcement that Boombl4 would be removed from the active NAVI roster, CEO Zolotarov stated in an interview with the (Washington Post): “We won’t work with people who live in Russia and pay taxes to the Russian Federation.” While there is no explanation as to whether Boombl4 still lives Russia, this raises suspicion of it. “We hope that we can keep the roster and that the Russian players will move,” it continues.
Furthermore, Zolotarov explains that NAVI is trying to move many players who “don’t represent Russia’s politics.” Since the start of the war in Ukraine, NAVI’s CS:GO team has been located in Poland. Rumour has it that his wife liked a pro-Russian post, raising critical voices in Ukraine.
Due to Boombl4’s removal, it is now questionable who will replace him. There is still no information about a successor. Furthermore, it remains open what will happen to the two other Russian CS:GO pros Denis “electroNic” Sharipov and Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy. Information about their current residence and attitude towards Russian politics is unknown.
This is how this world works, i want to thank you @Boombl4CS for everything you have done, without you, not a single player of our team has achieved all the achievements that we experienced together in joy and sorrow, good luck and maybe one day we will play together again
– Sasha (@s1mpleO) May 28, 2022
Already on Saturday night, CS:GO star Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev expressed his gratitude to his teammate: “Without you, not a single player of our team would have celebrated all these successes that we have experienced together with joy and sorrow. Good luck and maybe one day we will play together again. “
