The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has issued a lifetime ban to Chinese StarCraft II player Xue ‘Firefly’ Tao after concluding a multi-month investigation into match-fixing and betting-related offenses.
Firefly was initially provisionally suspended in June, preventing him from participating in the Esports World Cup. Now, following a formal inquiry that took place from April to July 2025, ESIC has imposed a lifetime competitive ban from all member events, effectively ending his professional StarCraft II career.
According to ESIC, the investigation uncovered “evidence of a coordinated match-fixing and profit-sharing scheme.” Firefly was found to have deliberately manipulated match outcomes to benefit from betting activity, with over 100 screenshots of betting slips submitted as part of the case.
Many of those bets were placed by former Chinese player Jinhui ‘Jim’ Cao, who earned an 83% win rate wagering against Firefly and won approximately ¥32,116 (~£3,286) during a single EWC qualifier match, where Firefly lost 3-0 to Bunny.
Further financial evidence revealed ¥97,800 (~£10,008) in direct transfers from Jim to Firefly, allegedly part of the match-fixing arrangement. Jim has received a provisional suspension from all ESIC-partnered events, should he attempt to return to competition.
While the Korean pro scene has since recovered, this recent incident in China highlights that match-fixing remains a real threat, especially where regulation and oversight are lacking.
