VCS suspends almost half of its players amidst match fixing allegations
The VCS has announced its first measures against match-fixing allegations in the Vietnamese league, suspending almost half its player base from the competition while further investigation is being conducted. Players from all eight teams have been impacted.
One of the largest scandals in esports history
Last week, the Vietnamese Championship Series halted all active play amid unusual gameplay patterns in some of the league's matches. This led to match-fixing allegations and an eventual investigation into the matter. Moreover, the results of the active week had been voided, and the Playoff date had been delayed indefinitely.
Today, VCS and Riot Games announced the first actions based on their investigation: 32 of the 68 currently signed pro players in the league have been suspended from active play. The VCS has made a list of affected players public.
The suspensions include players from Team Secret, GAM Esports, and Team Whales, the currently top 3 in the VCS. Some teams have already reacted to the situation, as some have terminated contracts with their respective players in question. Others, such as Cerberus Esports, have said to work with officials to prove their innocence.
An uncertain future
The investigation hits at a crucial time for the league, which should've been on schedule to conduct its Playoffs soon. With the MidSeason Invitational starting in early May and the winner of the VCS Spring Playoffs being allowed to play in the Play-Ins, the current halt to competition could prove a logistical issue down the line if the conclusion of its players was to be too delayed for its competitors to obtain visas.
As per a translation of the official statement, the officials are aware and are looking to commence play soon. "We will soon update more information related to the process of restarting the VCS Playoffs," the VCS shared on its official Facebook page.
VCS Product manager Ban "ChisinX" Chee assured that the situation was handled with haste, tweeting: "Our top priority is to resume the VCS Playoffs. More info will be shared on the official VCS Facebook page."
