LPL Continues to Uncover Major Match-Fixing Cases in LDL
For a long time, the LDL (the league for young teams in the LPL, similar to the Challengers League of the LCK) has been seen as the “cradle” for nurturing talent for the main roster. However, this tournament has also been mired in negativity with at least one match-fixing scandal revealed each year. In fact, the LPL organizers and Riot have indefinitely suspended the tournament due to the rampant match-fixing issues.
Recently, through an investigation, the LPL has once again uncovered negative activities in this tournament. Accordingly, 6 players and 1 coach in LDL have been banned from all Riot game competitions for life due to actions such as: impacting the fairness of the matches, betting on themselves, and providing false information during the investigation process.
Additionally, 3 other players have been banned for 1 year and 3 years respectively. If we count this case, in just the second half of the year, there have been 10 individuals in LDL punished for involvement in match-fixing. Among these 3 players, TheNiu was recently promoted to the main team of FunPlus Phoenix last Summer.
LPL Sinks Deep into the “Bottomless Pit”
In reality, for a region to develop, a talented layer of young players must be trained and compete continuously. However, the current issue of LPL is that they only have a few stars from top teams, and LDL (the league for young players) is drowning in match-fixing scandals.
The cases mentioned above only include individuals or groups that have been discovered and dealt with. Young players in LDL are also losing motivation. The environment lacks growth opportunities, salaries are low, but negativity prevails. LDL was originally a training ground for rookies but has now changed.
Moreover, the regulation prohibiting players under 18 from competing professionally also significantly impacts the development of this region. Recently, LPL and Riot also do not require teams to have a youth roster. Immediately, many teams disbanded their competing lineups in LDL to cut costs.
Veterans currently competing in LPL will eventually have to retire. But in the context of having no successor generation, a bleak future is very evident for the LPL region.