XANTARES Misses IEM Cologne 2025 Due to Imprisonment – Full Story

The esports community was shaken by unexpected news: Turkish professional player İsmailcan "XANTARES" Dörtkardeş did not attend one of the biggest tournaments of the year – IEM Cologne 2025. Initially, it was reported that XANTARES would miss the event due to family reasons. However, it later emerged that the real reason was his imprisonment in Turkey. This shocking revelation stunned CS2 fans and sparked intense discussions about his alleged involvement in a scandal related to promoting case-opening websites.

XANTARES is one of the most prominent Turkish esports players in Counter-Strike 2. He was the long-time leader of Eternal Fire and, in 2025, played for the international lineup of Aurora. His sudden absence from IEM Cologne 2025 became a major talking point in the community, as fans and analysts scrambled to understand why the team had to play without their star rifler.

According to unofficial sources, XANTARES missed IEM Cologne 2025 due to legal issues. On August 5, a CS2 streamer revealed that the player was in prison in Turkey during the tournament, which was the real reason for his absence. The streamer claimed that powerful individuals intervened strongly on behalf of the esports player, leading to his release shortly thereafter. In other words, what was once just a rumor among fans received indirect confirmation.

The background of the incident traces back to an investigation into illegal gambling advertisements in Turkey. On June 12, authorities launched a large-scale operation targeting popular streamers and players promoting banned gambling websites. A total of 19 arrest warrants were issued; 12 people were detained and brought to court, while the others were declared wanted. XANTARES was initially named a suspect in the case and was arrested in absentia in Turkey on charges of promoting illegal services.

Apparently, XANTARES was abroad during the June crackdown and thus avoided arrest at the time. However, by the time IEM Cologne began (July 23 to August 3, 2025), Turkish authorities had taken measures that prevented him from leaving the country. It is likely that he served a brief detention period during the tournament dates. No official statements have been made by XANTARES or his team regarding the imprisonment, so the community is still awaiting clarification on this unusual situation. Regardless, the fact remains: IEM Cologne 2025 took place without the star rifler, further fueling speculation around the circumstances.

XANTARES’ absence dealt a heavy blow to his team. The Turkish roster, competing under the Aurora tag (formerly Eternal Fire), had to use a stand-in at IEM Cologne. Yasin "xfl0ud" Koç filled in for XANTARES, and although he performed decently, the team only managed a single victory (against NiP) before being eliminated with losses to Team Spirit and FaZe Clan, finishing in 9th–12th place. For a squad hoping to kick off the season on a strong note, missing their star player resulted in a disappointing run at one of the year’s premier events.

It’s also important to note that XANTARES’ legal troubles reflect broader issues affecting the entire Eternal Fire organization. On April 8, fellow Turkish player Özgür “woxic” Eker explained that due to Turkey's ban on gambling-related sponsorships, the team couldn’t secure a sponsor and had to transfer the Turkish roster to Aurora, a Serbia-based organization. In essence, Eternal Fire sold its lineup to a foreign club so the players could continue competing without fear of prosecution at home. However, the scandal didn’t end there: in June, current Eternal Fire player Ömer "imoRR" Karataş was among those detained. He was later released under a travel ban, but his involvement in illegal advertising dealt a serious reputational blow to the organization. Now, the situation with XANTARES adds to the controversy – even though he was officially representing Aurora at the time, many still associate him with Eternal Fire, the team he helped found.

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