The journey to The International, Dota 2`s most prestigious tournament, is often a gauntlet of fierce competition and rigorous practice. For Aurora Gaming`s talented midlaner, Gleb “kiyotaka” Zyryanov, that journey recently included an unexpected and rather bureaucratic layover. What began as a standard team trip to Hamburg for TI14 quickly evolved into a solo adventure through the labyrinthine corridors of international travel regulations.
The Aurora Gaming squad, a group of five, embarked on their pilgrimage with a connecting flight through Munich, Germany. All seemed routine until the moment of passport control. While his teammates cleared immigration without a hitch, kiyotaka found himself in an unexpected spotlight, held back due to complications with his Italian visa. “It was an Italian visa,” kiyotaka later explained, “and it wasn`t `open`.”
This seemingly minor detail – the precise status of a Schengen visa – proved to be a significant roadblock. While the specific nuances often hinge on initial entry points and the particular type of visa, the core issue likely revolved around German border officials questioning the validity of entry into the Schengen Area via Germany with a visa issued by Italy, especially if it hadn`t been activated by an initial entry into Italy. This technicality, a frequent source of quiet exasperation for seasoned international travelers, landed kiyotaka in a three-hour holding pattern.
Armed with a police document and instructions to approach the service center for a rebooking, kiyotaka encountered the next hurdle. The immediate flight to Hamburg, just 40 minutes away, was already fully booked. The subsequent option? A flight at 6:40 AM the following morning. For a professional player with a demanding schedule and an imminent major tournament, an overnight wait in an airport, particularly after a three-hour interrogation, was far from an ideal precursor to competition.
Fortunately, Aurora Gaming, demonstrating the kind of swift logistical support essential for top-tier esports organizations, sprang into action. They secured a hotel near the airport for kiyotaka, allowing him some much-needed rest and respite from the unexpected travel ordeal. By 11:00 AM the next day, a new ticket in hand, he was finally airborne, en route to rejoin his team in Hamburg.
Kiyotaka`s solo detour serves as a stark reminder of the often-unseen complexities professional esports players navigate beyond the game itself. From last-minute roster changes to the intricate dance of international visas and flight connections, the path to global competition is fraught with potential pitfalls. While his teammates had already settled into Hamburg, kiyotaka`s slightly delayed but ultimately successful arrival ensured that Aurora Gaming would indeed be at full strength for The International 2025. This minor travel drama, now a quirky anecdote, is just another chapter in the unpredictable journey of a professional esports athlete, proving that sometimes, even getting to the battlefield is a challenge in itself.
