Tension at BLAST Spring 2025 as NaVi’s jL Refuses Handshake with XANTARES

A tense moment unfolded at the BLAST Open Spring 2025 in CS2 when Natus Vincere’s Justinas "jL" Lekavičius declined to shake hands with Eternal Fire’s Ismailcan "XANTARES" Dörtkardeş following their match. The incident was broadcast live during the official tournament stream and quickly caught the attention of fans.

While the exact cause of the tension remains unclear, community speculation points to possible in-game disrespect—some believe jL was upset over XANTARES shooting at virtual corpses during the match. So far, neither player has addressed the situation publicly.

Eternal Fire secured a dominant 2-0 win over NAVI, earning a direct spot in the semifinals. Meanwhile, NAVI will now have to battle Team Spirit in the quarterfinals for a chance to advance.