On December 28 (Vietnam time), a ceremony was held at the LPL to present professional player certificates for League of Legends. In addition, players also participated in physical activities, mainly to enhance fitness but primarily to enjoy some relaxation after intense training hours and to foster team cohesion. Of course, some players like TheShy and Rookie were absent due to being in quarantine as per Chinese government regulations.
The activities can be considered quite fun and right in Vietnam, many might also feel familiar with such team-building games. However, recently, bad news arrived for the League of Legends community just before the New Year 2022, right when the LPL announced the official start date for the 2022 Spring Split: player ZWuJi from Anyone’s Legend officially parted ways with the upcoming tournament due to an injury sustained during the physical games. He was diagnosed with an injury to his right elbow and required surgery. Subsequently, ZWuJi will be out for 3 months.
This incident immediately sparked outrage from the LPL fan community. Besides concerns for ZWuJi’s injury, most viewers are worried about the health of LPL players in general and the organizers’ care for them. Many believe that the physical activities, if not closely monitored, can easily lead to players falling and sustaining injuries unintentionally. Furthermore, the LPL organizers need to implement reasonable measures. Some opinions even suggest that the health of the players is indeed a concern.
In the past, the LPL has witnessed several cases where injuries have cut short careers or caused players to perform below their best. No need to look far, 2 out of the “5 gods” of the LPL community – TheShy and Uzi, have both been plagued by injuries. The common point of these two players is that they lost their inherent form due to injuries. While TheShy has had lackluster performances, Uzi was forced to retire for a time, and he has only just returned to play for Bilibili Gaming.
Not to mention, the LPL is considered one of the most demanding League of Legends tournaments, with a very high rate of elimination. Even legends like Uzi, TheShy, Rookie, Doinb, and Tian can be criticized if they do not perform well and lack titles. For players who are only moderately skilled like ZWuJi, the difficulty increases, and they can be eliminated much more quickly.
After this incident, the LPL organizers may need to seriously reconsider the organization of physical activities for players. While it is good for players to have opportunities for physical activities to enhance their health, safety must be prioritized. A minor mistake could jeopardize the careers of these players at any moment.