Dota 2’s Davai addresses his former ‘Davai Lama’ username in public apology

Dota 2 pro Cedric “Davai” Alexander Deckmyn has publicly addressed the history behind his former “Davai Lama” username, apologizing for the name and saying he now considers it inappropriate.

In a statement posted on X today, Davai said he had chosen the name when he was 15 without fully understanding the significance surrounding the Dalai Lama and Tibet. He has since dropped the “Lama” portion of his handle and now competes simply as Davai.

“I sincerely apologize for any offense or misunderstanding,” Davai said in his statement. He added that he did not understand the political and historical context when he originally chose the nickname. He said he now respects China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and upholds the One-China principle.

Davai has also become known for his high-level pub play, reaching 16,000 MMR in July 2025. He has played for teams including D2 Hustlers, Wildcard Gaming, HEROIC, OG, and Shopify Rebellion, and currently represents Nigma Galaxy. In his statement, Davai clarified that he had already dropped his former ID before joining his current team.

“Before joining my current team, I voluntarily stopped using my former ID and changed my in-game name to Davai,” he said. “This was a decision I made on my own and a step toward correcting my past immature expression.”

The username dates back to Davai’s teenage years, when he was learning Russian to better understand what players were saying in his Dota 2 matches. He heard the Russian word “davai,” which roughly translates to “let’s go,” and combined it with “Dalai Lama” to create his username. 

The name remained part of his identity throughout much of his professional career. By 2024, he was widely known as Davai Lama, including during his time with HEROIC, before switching to simply Davai in his current team. 

Davai has been competing professionally since 2019. The Belgian-American player initially built his career in the European and North American scenes before establishing himself as an offlaner. He became the first Belgian player to compete at The International, representing HEROIC at TI 2024.

His biggest career achievement came later that year at PGL Wallachia Season 2. HEROIC defeated Team Falcons 3-1 in the grand final to claim the tournament, giving the South American region its first LAN victory. Davai also has several other notable results, including appearances at DreamLeague Season 23 and ESL One Birmingham 2024.

The timing of Davai’s statement has prompted discussion among Dota 2 fans on Reddit, particularly because The International 2026 was held in China and his statement specifically references China’s sovereignty and the One-China principle.

Fans have speculated about whether the statement was connected to his professional career or future opportunities in China, but Davai has not publicly said that he was pressured to make the apology. Those claims therefore remain speculation for now.

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