Image credit: PGL
The seasoned player was involved in an altercation during ESL Pro League Season 16 in Malta.
Kristian “k0nfig” Wienecke and Astralis have come to an agreement to cancel his contract with the team early due to personal reasons, which was then later confirmed as his involvement in a fistfight in Malta.
K0nfig had to miss the recent RMR tournament, where Astralis, unfortunately, did not qualify for IEM Rio Major. The team had academy player Mikkel “MistR” Thomsen in his place instead – and ended the tournament with three losses and one victory.
It was first reported by Jaxon on Sept 27, that k0nfig was removed from the roster stating that the player “was involved in a quarrel that turned into a fist fight after ESL Pro League in Malta”.
K0nfig has been part of Astralis since 2021, where he joined the team along with Benjamin “blameF” Bremer. He helped the team to qualify for PGL Antwerp Major in May and the semi-finals of IEM Cologne in July.
In a post using Twitlonger, k0nfig shared his side of the story where he shared that he and his friends went to the nightclub on the night Astralis failed to qualify for EPL Season 16.
“The entrance of the nightclub was at the top of this staircase leading into the club. I walked up the staircase and asked the guy who appeared to be in charge, if I could join my friends and explained that they had already gone in. Instead of just saying no, he dissed my tattoos and said that it was ‘his ***** club’ and that I was a ‘tattoo’ed looser’ and that there was no way he would let me in, except if I paid €5000 for a table.
He was aggressive and I felt humiliated so we got into an argument. I told him he was the loser for standing in a nightclub queue and feeling better than everyone else and then suddenly he spat me directly in my face and kicked me straight in my face. He was standing several steps over me on the staircase, so it was like a kicking to a football [sic]. It made me fall down the stairs and sprain my foot. It hurt like hell, but adrenaline, fear and confusion had completely taken over my body, so I didn’t notice it at first. I just remember feeling confused. Then after he ran inside the club with the bouncers in front of him. My mouth was swollen, my leg and foot hurt as hell.”
After the confrontation, k0nfig sat outside of the club – and suddenly saw the promoter leaving the club. He then ran after the promoter and said he would report the fight to the police. The promoter spat at him, and both got into another fight where the promoter broke his leg. K0nfig then fell to the ground and received additional kicks to himself.
The now ex-Astralis player then travelled back to Denmark to do surgery on his leg. He shared that there is an ongoing investigation in Malta, and he was cleared of any drug charges. The promoter meanwhile tested positive when tested by the police.
At this point, k0nfig’s future is still unclear, and Astralis is meanwhile down to four men. There are rumours that the team is talking to Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz for the 2023 season, but no confirmation has yet to be seen on this news.
