Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Team NaVi of Ukraine bounced back from defeat in Gamers Without Borders’ DOTA2 tournament a fortnight ago to pip Germany’s mousesports in an epic Sunday finale in GWB’s latest International Elite series, this time on first-person shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

The best of five match-up was an edge-of-the-seat affair for both the franchises and their thousands of fans watching online as the two well-balanced teams bagged two matches apiece heading into the decider.

In that final bout, NaVi — short for Natus Vincere — went 11-4 games down with only nine rounds left to play in the 24-round series: mousesports dominating to the point that two more game wins would see them crowned champions.

However, in perhaps the most epic comeback of Gamers Without Borders to date, NaVi regrouped and went on the charge — winning eight straight rounds to take a 12-11 lead and be only one victory away from the tournament’s $750,000 charity prize.

Even more drama would follow, when from nowhere mousesports rallied to triumph in that decider — and take the tournament final to best of five overtime.

That loss did, however, prove to be no more than a stumble for the resurgent Team NaVi, who carried on their late tournament form to dominate their opponents 3-0 in OT and finish as 15-12 CS:GO series winners.

Gamers Without Borders is all about donating money to charities leading the global fight against coronavirus, and in line with that both finalists received money from the event prize fund that they handed over to organizations on that frontline. Team NaVi gave their $750,000 to UNICEF, and mousesports donated their $500,000 to the International Telecommunications Union.

Those donations were enough to see Gamers Without Borders — which was organized by the Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronic and Intellectual Sports (SAFEIS) — smash the $8million mark in the amount of money it has handed over to charity from its $10million since getting underway only three weeks ago.