HUNDEN returns as Heroic coach

Heroic has announced the return of former coach of CS:GO lineup Nicolai "HUNDEN" Petersen. The Danish specialist will resume his duties on May 1, when his ban from the Equity Commission for esports (ESIC) expires.

Nicolai ‘HUNDEN’ Petersen says

I am so excited. It has been tough sitting on the sidelines for eight months and not participating in the matches. I have spent the time refining my skills in the analysis part of the game but there is no doubt that it will take some time to find the rhythm again. On the other hand, the team has been working on getting better at making decisions themselves.

Last September, HUNDEN was found to have intentionally used a coaching bug that allowed him to covertly watch his opponent's actions. He received a ban from participating in official matches for eight months from the date of publication of the investigation.

Nicolai ‘HUNDEN’ Petersen explains

It was the biggest mistake I have ever made but I am happy that I have been able to remediate it by participating in the investigation and improvement process together with ESIC so that we can get a cleaner sport.

Notably, Heroic did not terminate cooperation with their coach but instead moved him to an analyst position. The club's general manager Erik Askered condemned the team's mentor's act, but noted that the loss of such a specialist would not benefit the organization or the entire professional scene.

The next tournament for Heroic under the direct leadership of HUNDEN will be DreamHack Masters Spring 2021, which started today, April 29, and will end on May 9. The Danish team plays in Group B, where they will face paiN in their opening match.