LEAGUE OF LEGENDS: Unraveling the Year's Biggest Scandal So Far
In Vietnam, life around professional League of Legends is shaping up in quite an unbelievable manner!
The year did not start without suspicions of esports cheating. It wasn't long before League of Legends found itself amidst the controversies alongside CS:GO EPL and netflix.exe. The intrigue began around March 15, when the VCS (Vietnamese professional league) announced that, due to unforeseen events, matches would be postponed. Shortly thereafter, they announced the suspension of the spring season indefinitely due to questionable integrity among VCS teams. Moreover, they decided to determine the rankings based on matches held before March 10.
THE INVESTIGATION
Riot Games and the VCS conducted internal investigations among the teams, facing severe accusations of match fixing. This term, synonymous with one of the gravest frauds in sports, typically involves pre-arranging the winner of a match or who will advance to finals, often influenced by bets, prize money, or bribes. The exact happenings within the VCS remain unclear, but a post surfaced on Reddit where anonymous VCS players discussed the situation.
Eight teams (Team Secret, GAM Esports, Team Whales, Vikings Esports, Cerberus, MBE, Team Flash, and Rainbow Warriors) were divided and summoned for scrutiny over two days. Each day's session lasted from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, where teams were separated and taken to different floors in the VCS studio, monitored by Riot employees. Players, owners, coaches, managers, and analysts underwent individual interrogations. Before entering, their phones were confiscated, and metal detectors scanned them.
During questioning, team members identified suspected individuals through a questionnaire, prompting Riot to ask for reasons, evidence, or if it was merely intuition. All interviews were recorded and, in some cases, used for cross-examinations. Despite the tension, Riot ensured players were provided with food, drinks, and even leisure activities during breaks, yet the atmosphere was as strict as during final exams, with restricted bathroom access. Some described the experience as akin to entering prison, with interviews varying from five minutes to over an hour.
THE VERDICT
While the entire scenario is unsettling, it's reassuring to see Riot's seriousness in addressing such fraud. Unfortunately, by the investigation's conclusion, a total of 32 players were suspended. Due to the significant number of suspensions, two teams, MGN Blue Esports and CERBERUS Esports, withdrew from the league due to lack of players. Despite the scandal and suspicions, the remaining teams resumed the league in April, competing for spots at the 2024 MSI.
SUSPENDED PLAYERS LIST
- CERBERUS ESPORTS:
- Nguyễn Đăng Khoa / Pun
- Trần Bảo Quang / Ikigai
- Nguyễn Hoàng Phú / Richard I
- Nguyễn Huy Hùng / Slowz
- GAM ESPORTS:
- Đỗ Đình Sang / Blazes
- Lê Viết Huy / Pyshiro
- MGN BLUE ESPORTS:
- Nguyễn Minh Hào / Sorn
- Bùi Văn Minh Hải / Froggy
- Võ Hoàng Lê Khang / Ryuk
- Đào Văn Tuấn / Rigel
- Tiêu Quốc Lương / Zodiac
- RAINBOW WARRIORS:
- Nguyễn Kỳ Vương / Raze
- Nguyễn Hoàng Nghĩa / HinieeeC
- Nguyễn Trung Hiếu / Hyo
- Nguyễn Anh Kiệt / Yuki
- Nguyễn Phan Đình Khôi / Spot
- Nguyễn Văn Hậu / Artifact
- Vũ Quốc Hưng / K1ller
- Nguyễn Trọng Trí / 2T
- TEAM FLASH:
- Lê Minh Dũng / Dzung
- Đinh Bùi Quốc Cường / Marcus
- Lê Ngọc Toàn / Draktharr
- Nguyễn Hoàng Khánh / Jane
- Lương Thành Tài / Puddin
- TEAM SECRET:
- Hoàng Công Nghĩa / Eddie
- Quách Khánh Hoàng / Qiang
- TEAM WHALES:
- Trần Văn Chính / BeanJ
- Lê Ngọc Vinh / Gloryy
- VIKINGS ESPORTS:
- Lương Hải Long / Gury
- Nguyễn Vũ Khang Nguyên / Bunn
- Võ Văn Phi / Kairi
- Ngô Đức Khánh / Kratos
A translation of the detailed statement from VCS officials can be found here: #VCS #VCSEnglish
Source: Riot Games, Esports Insider, Dot Esports, Leaguepedia, Reddit