CS2 caster Maniac denies sexual assault allegation, steps down from EPL broadcast

Mathieu ‘Maniac’ Quiquerez, a Counter-Strike 2 caster and former player and coach, has been accused of sexual assault by multiple women. He has issued a statement denying the allegations, and stepped back from the ESL Pro League broadcast.

On September 4, Hannah Marie ZT, a freelance esports journalist and events manager, alleged that Maniac “groped, inappropriately touched, grinded on, and grabbed” her from behind even though she showed “clear discomfort and no reciprocation.”

Marie said the incident occurred at an afterparty after a Counter-Strike event and that she reported the assault to a “relevant company.” She said she did not disclose the company’s name in her post for “confidentiality reasons.”

According to Marie, the company in question upheld her accusations after an internal investigation, but did not provide a written confirmation of its decision.

“After I asked for written confirmation of their investigation, one of their staff members accidentally looped me into an email where they admitted that they were planning on ignoring my continued pleas for written recognition of their investigation’s result,” she said in her statement.

Marie also claimed that the company that ran the investigation could not pass its findings on to broadcast teams “due to their own confidentiality agreements and policies.” She also claimed she “pulled” Maniac off of other women herself.

She said she posted the public accusal to warn others in the esports space about the caster and his alleged actions.

Maniac responds to initial allegation

Maniac responded to the allegation on social media by saying he has “a drastically different recollection of the events,” in question.

“I do not believe any sexual assault took place. I believe inappropriate behavior is the only place this should start and end,” he said.

Maniac said that in response to the allegation, he will step down from the EPL broadcast.

Following his statement, esports host Daisy ‘DAMP’ Powers, issued a response, to “corroborate” the accusation against him, as well as accuse him of also sexually assaulting her at the same afterparty.

She claimed that the caster “groped” her multiple times “in front of multiple esports colleagues.”

“I was also groped multiple times by Maniac,” Damp said, adding that it was “clearly non-consensual”, in full view of others, and that she said no clearly multiple times and “tried to escape.”

“This statement he released entirely warps the truth and Hannah was not at all engaging with him in that manner. She was simply existing and was harrassed by him as were multiple other of us that night.”

Damp’s fiance, CS caster Jacky, also made a video statement, corroborating her version of events.

According to a Dust2.us investigation released on September 5, Maniac has shown a pattern of inappropriate behavior that extends beyond the initial allegations.

Maniac has worked as a full-time broadcast talent in Counter-Strike esports since 2019 for BLAST, PGL, and ESL. PGL said in a statement to Dust2.dk that the caster is no longer a part of their future plans for talent.

BLAST released a statement on September 5 saying that they no longer work with a “talent member” due to a complaint of misconduct and subsequent investigation.

Maniac releases second statement

The caster released another statement online and to the press on September 6.

“I have had a problematic relationship with alcohol for most of my adult life. I have attempted in many ways to get it under control but I have failed miserably at various points. I am ashamed of my weakness and have been for years. Now I cannot turn a blind eye to it anymore,” he said.

He also apologized for “unacceptable behaviors over the years,” and said he would make a video in the future once he has found “a shred of peace.”

“I’ll take accountability for my mistakes, attempt to apologize properly, and show who I am unfiltered,” he said.

Maniac has appeared on CS Major events broadcasts and most recently worked as an analyst on the Esports World Cup. Before broadcasting, Maniac played and coached for teams like Titan, Team EnVyUs, and Rogue.