PinG's use of 12-year-old Bogdan "penguin" Marchenko at the ESWC world finals is a direct violation of the competition's age rule.

According to the official ESWC rulebook, in order to be eligible to compete in a tournament, a player "must be at least 16 years old on 30th June 2010."

Marchenko, a 12-year-old from Ukraine, accompanied PinG to Paris and will play for them instead of Emil "Kucher" Akhundov, who failed to receive a visa to enter France.

Reports in Ukraine suggest that Marchenko's family covered part of PinG's travelling costs to Paris in exchange for his use at the event.

PinG will enter the ring in less than an hour, as they will lock horns with Evil Geniuses and then Fair Frag for progression at the ESWC finals.

HLTV.org will try to reach the ESWC for a comment on the matter, so stay locked to our website for more info.