The reigning Dota 2 TI14 champions won’t be starting their 2026 season in full force as Team Falcons carry Oliver “skiter” Lepko has been ruled out of BLAST Slam IV event due to a hand injury – and they’ve found an unlikely replacement.

Stepping up to the plate is PARIVISION prodigy Alan “Satanic” Gallyamov as a stand-in until further notice.

A Temporary Setback for the Champs

Before the official announcement, Falcons offlaner Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf teased fans by posting a video on his Telegram channel, saying: “Tomorrow we will have a surprise for everyone. You will see. Unimaginable. I think it’s unimaginable. Don’t miss what happens tomorrow.”

That “unimaginable” news turned out to be the announcement of skiter’s injury. The carry confirmed himself through an Instagram story showing his bruised and bloodied hand, captioned simply with: “Mistake.”

The story has since been deleted without skiter providing any clarification.

Satanic Steps In

Though Team Falcons won’t field their veteran carry for the event, they were fortunate enough to get their hands on the best possible stand-in – 18-year-old Satanic. The Russian was one of the breakout stars in 2025, leading PARIVISION to multiple LAN titles and a bronze finish at The International.

Him being tapped as Falcons’ substitute was only possible because PARIVISION opted to skip BLAST Slam IV to rest and reset for the next season. Satanic, being the energetic teenager that he is, gladly stepped in to create an unexpected crossover between two of the strongest teams in the scene.

What Can We Expect from Falcons with Satanic?

It’s hard to predict precisely how the TI champs will perform at BLAST Slam IV, but one thing is certain – the lineup will look very different without skiter. The Slovakian is known for his selfless, space-creating playstyle, allowing ATF and Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak to play greedier. That approach was a massive reason behind Falcons’ incredible success.

Satanic, on the other hand, sits on the opposite end of that spectrum. He’s regarded as one of the greediest carries in the scene, thriving when given resources and freedom to carry the late game. The change in style could dramatically change the team’s dynamic, for better or worse.

That said, it’s still difficult to count the Falcons out. The team has too much talent and experience to completely fall off, even with minimal preparation and an emergency stand-in. They should still be in a good position to make a deep run at BLAST Slam IV.