On the afternoon of March 15 (Vietnam time), the LCK organizers unexpectedly announced that Fredit BRION would be penalized in their match against Gen.G Esports on March 16 (Vietnam time). The reason is that two more members from BRO tested positive for COVID-19, and these are two players called up from the Challengers team to replace the main roster in the recent match against T1. This left BRO with no players to substitute and they accepted a penalty of 0-2.
Additionally, the LCK organizers stated that if a team is found to have a positive COVID-19 case within 2 to 3 weeks before the playoffs but is unable to compete by Thursday of the week before the playoffs, they will be penalized. The reason given by the LCK organizers is that the tournament must prepare for MSI and the 2022 Asian Games, making it difficult to alter the playoff schedule. Choosing Thursday of the week is also to avoid a situation where a team has to compete continuously (like when Snake Esports, with SofM, had to play two BO5 matches in one day). At the same time, the LCK organizers also announced the possibility of a tie-break on the final day of the group stage.
However, the decision by the LCK organizers to penalize BRO has also sparked much controversy. Some fans believe that the LCK organizers reacted too slowly to the situation, leading to teams receiving unfavorable results due to the pandemic, and even risking elimination from the playoffs. Some comments even compared this to the LPL, where the premier League of Legends tournament in China immediately switched to online play when they felt the pandemic was worsening.
Nonetheless, many viewers sympathize with the organizers’ decision, hoping that during the playoffs, rules will be adjusted to better fit the evolving pandemic situation in South Korea.
Additionally, there are also many voices empathizing with BRO’s situation as they only have the match against DWG KIA left to determine their fate. One fan even lamented: “Because ‘Sir’ Morgan is too ‘powerful,’ the organizers had to ban him.”
In any case, BRO’s current situation is extremely challenging, and they may very well have to bid farewell to the LCK Spring 2022 playoffs with regret, all because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The LCK organizers also need to implement appropriate measures as teams face not only the playoffs but also the upcoming MSI 2022 and the 2022 Asian Games, which are looming close.