With only about 2 weeks left until the conclusion of LPL Spring 2022 – the most anticipated tournament in the League of Legends scene alongside LCK – it remains unclear which team will emerge victorious this Spring and qualify for MSI 2022. Not only the champion, but the team that qualifies for MSI 2022 will also bear the responsibility of deciphering the strength of the “unstoppable” T1.
However, recently, it wasn’t any other event, but the LPL community was once again shaken by match-fixing allegations. The name linked to this incident is identified as Chen “Jay” Bo – the mid-laner of LGD Gaming – a team that has performed poorly in Spring 2022, finishing the group stage in second-to-last place. All they managed was 3 wins against Oh My God, ThunderTalk Gaming, and Invictus Gaming, along with making things difficult for SofM’s Weibo Gaming.
According to reports from the Chinese media, player Jay has been involved in match-fixing messaging. Notably, Jay seems to not be in a passive position but has even engaged in enticing the opposing team to place bets on elements like kill counts, match duration, etc. Although the messages do not display profile pictures or personal information for verification, the LPL community believes that confirmation will not be difficult at all.
Messages allegedly from Jay and an unidentified person regarding betting odds
Notably, according to information from these messages, the “suspicious” matches are those where LGD faced off against Bilibili Gaming and Top Esports. Although Chinese media has confirmed that these two teams are not involved, it is certainly difficult to avoid complications entirely.
As for LGD, the team has also issued a statement regarding the incident on the same day. The team stated that they have reported the matter to the LPL organizers and are collecting evidence for thorough investigation, ensuring that no guilty party escapes justice.
If Jay is indeed found guilty, this could mark the end of the short career of the 1999-born player. For a mid-tier player like Jay, who lacks fame, being affected by this incident would almost entirely ruin his career. Previously, in Spring 2021, Bo from FunPlus Phoenix was also involved in a match-fixing scandal and to this day, he has yet to make a comeback due to the boycott from both teams and fans in the land of the rising sun.