Official: Illuminar Gaming will replace BenchedHeroes at IEM Road to Rio 2022: European RMR B

Tournament operator ESL has issued an official statement announcing changes in the roster of IEM Road to Rio 2022: European RMR B. As a result, the European team BenchedHeroes has been officially replaced by the Illuminar Gaming team.

Due to travel issues preventing two players from traveling to Malta, BenchedHeroes is unable to attend IEM Road to Rio 2022. Since Illuminar Gaming received the first seed from the reserve roster during qualifiers, the team will take their place and face NAVI in the 1st round next week.

The organizers did not conduct an additional draw for the qualifying RMR tournament. As a result, the Polish team Illuminar Gaming will take the place of BenchedHeroes and play against NAVI.

Recall that the European mix of BenchedHeroes could not get to IEM Road to Rio 2022: European RMR B due to visa difficulties. At first, Aunkere could not receive the documents for entering Malta, and later Calyx received a similar response from the consulate. Since the organizers forbade the participants to make emergency substitutions, the team was forced to withdraw from the championship.

It is noteworthy that ESL also launched an additional qualification for teams to form a reserve list of participants. Thus, the organizers intend to play it safe in case of other changes in the composition of the participants of the RMR tournaments for Europe.

Line-up of IEM Road to Rio 2022: European RMR B:

• Natus Vincere, ENCE, Heroic, BIG, Outsiders, Vitality, OG, MOUZ, Team Falcons, K23, Monte, Sangal Esports, FANTASY, SAW, HEET and Illuminar Gaming

IEM Road to Rio 2022: European RMR B will take place from 4 to 9 October in Malta. Here, participants from Europe and the CIS will compete for eight tickets to the Brazilian Major.

IEM Rio Major 2022 will take place from October 31 to November 13 in Brazil at the Jeunesse Arena and at the Riocentro convention center. As part of the championship, 24 teams from the CIS, Europe, North and South America, and Asia will compete for a prize pool of $1,000,000, ranking points in the BLAST Premier table, as well as tickets to BLAST Premier: World Final 2022 and IEM Katowice 2023 for the winner.