SBTC Esports, a prominent Vietnamese professional team, has been handed a ban from participating in the VCS (Vietnam Championship Series) due to a significant breach of the league's regulations. The league issued a statement on August 11, announcing the disqualification of SBTC from all VCS tournaments and forbidding them from selling their league spot. The league cited "serious violations of the regulations" as the reason for this decision.
In addition to the team's ban, the owner of the organization, Trần Đức Cường, has been "permanently banned" from any involvement in tournaments hosted by Riot Games. Furthermore, players Nper, DNK, Dia1, Vinboiz, and Penguin have each received 36-month bans.
This decision comes on the heels of a recent investigation initiated by the VCS, which led to the team's indefinite disqualification from the league due to an unspecified rule violation. A preliminary investigation cleared support player Palette, who subsequently joined GAM Esports, along with coach Naul and analyst Hype, of any wrongdoing.
While the exact nature of the violations has not been officially confirmed by the VCS, rumors in Vietnam suggest that the team may have been involved in match-fixing.
This development marks a dramatic downfall for SBTC Esports, who were a mere match away from qualifying for MSI 2023. The team had reached the grand final of VCS Dawn but suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of GAM Esports.
Currently, the VCS Dusk playoffs are in progress, with the top two teams earning qualification for the Worlds 2023 Play-In stage.
