With only two weeks before LNG Esports' debut on the Worlds 2024 stage in Berlin, the official League of Legends Esports account announced that the team would bring in Zeng "Yagao" Qi to replace Lee "Scout" Ye-chan due to Scout's ongoing legal issues with EDward Gaming in the LPL. Though the move seems logical for the team, it has sparked controversy, with opinions on the emergency substitution strongly divided.

The Deal and How We Got Here

A story that has sparked attention across the esports sphere, Scout's situation took the world by storm in the last few weeks. Though the details remain difficult to navigate and points of view clash, fans have now managed to establish a relative idea of the chain of events that unfolded during the ongoing Scout controversy:

Following Scout's 2021 Worlds victory, Scout expressed interest in returning to South Korea and was reportedly in talks with teams like KT Rolster while still under contract with EDG, without properly notifying them. Despite this, he remained with EDG through 2022 without any issues. However, during the next off-season, Scout made another attempt to rejoin the LCK. Reports later surfaced that Scout had a secondary commercial contract with EDG, unrecognized by Riot Games and not listed in the Global Contract Database. After Scout signed with LNG, EDG filed a lawsuit in July 2023 over the disputed contract, resulting in a travel ban for Scout in April 2024.

After the controversy broke out, many fans began speculating about the situation, even discussing how LNG would have to play with their current substitute jungler, Zhao "Shad0w" Zhi-Qiang, who previously played for MAD Lions in the LEC. At one point, fans even considered the possibility of the team's disqualification from the tournament, as LNG found itself without a suitable roster well past the initial Worlds roster deadline of August 16th.

Thankfully, with Riot Games' latest communication, speculations have been addressed, and we now have an official update on the situation and its outcome. Per LoL Esports' Tweet, LNG will be allowed to field an emergency substitute in the form of JDG's Yagao at Worlds 2024. Although the team could have been encouraged to sign a free agent, as PEACE did in 2021 by signing Tamás "Vizicsacsi" Kiss, the post explains that due to stringent visa restrictions for China, signing a player who already had permission to travel was crucial.

Despite the agreement, the announcement also stated that if Scout's travel ban is lifted, he will be required to travel and compete, making Yagao ineligible. Yagao is only an emergency substitute to ensure LNG can participate, and he should not compete if the team resolves their starter player's issues. According to ongoing rumors, LNG and Scout are still reportedly working to resolve the issues by paying the necessary settlement. Additionally, further rumors suggest that JD Gaming's AD Carry Park "Ruler" Jae-hyuk may have partially contributed to paying Scout's travel ban settlement.

A Dangerous Precedent?

Since the incident sparked attention on social media, many figures have come forward to share their opinions on the move. One of the most prominent, MonteCristo, issued the following statement: "The other teams attending Worlds 2024 should be furious that Riot is allowing LNG to field a new substitute after the roster lock on August 16th. What is the point of listing subs if you can replace players for problems known about for months?"

Though the move makes sense for the team, it has faced criticism for potentially impacting the tournament's competitive integrity and setting a troubling precedent for international competitions. Ideally, all teams would field rosters made up entirely of the best players from their regions, but roster building is an inherent part of the game. While it can be argued that Yagao might currently be considered a weaker player compared to Scout, permitting a team to substitute in a player who recently attempted to qualify for Worlds could set a bad precedent. This is especially noteworthy given that LNG has a full academy squad and substitutes who could have been considered for the competition.