Former Natus Vincere streamer ardiis claimed during a broadcast that he doubts female players will reach tier-1 level in disciplines like Counter-Strike or VALORANT during his lifetime. He compared esports to traditional sports and chess, pointing to the absence of women at the very top of those competitive ladders.

“I very much doubt we will see women at this level. I do not think it will happen during my lifetime,” ardiis said.

Serbian CS2 player Kat quickly responded to these remarks via social media, highlighting systemic issues and the lack of proper organizational backing for women’s rosters. She noted that female squads typically receive minimal infrastructure compared to male teams.

“We always had only a coach and nothing extra, regardless of the tournament, even at tier-1 events,” Kat stated.

Kat believes female competitors could achieve the highest levels if they received adequate development and support comparable to young male talents.