Recently, Team WE announced that their support player – Missing, was unexpectedly hospitalized and had to abandon the match between WE and TES. Missing had to be rushed to the hospital due to health issues just before the second game, which also explains WE’s puzzling decision to substitute in the backup mid-laner Mole to play support during the last match.
Previously, Missing had completed the first game of the match between TES and WE. However, it seems he experienced issues during this time, as Missing appeared to play unfocused and ineffective. His Rakan ended the game with a KDA of 1/8/5, helplessly watching WE’s Nexus fall.
Being forced to substitute, with Mole not being a pure support player, also denied WE the chance to turn the tide in the second game, resulting in a final score of 0-2 against TES.
Notably, in recent seasons, the number of LPL players facing health issues seems to be on the rise. Before Missing, FPX’s Crisp also missed a match due to a sudden neck injury. TheShy had to focus late and couldn’t compete in the early stages of the LPL Summer 2021 due to staying in Korea to treat a chronic injury.
Recently, in a vlog about the LPL, SofM shared that players in this tournament almost always dedicate 12 hours a day just to practice. The intense mental strain from gaming at a high level for prolonged periods has led to various consequences, including neck, shoulder, and hand injuries, as well as circulatory and digestive issues due to poor lifestyle habits. The LPL is renowned for being a grueling and extremely competitive tournament, making it understandable for players to have to try hard at such high intensity. However, the negative health implications are something that Riot should seriously consider to prevent unfortunate incidents from occurring.