Sources close to Inven Global claim that a representative from an LCK team has repeatedly contacted players without permission from their respective teams. At least four players have reportedly have been tampered with.
Allegedly players near the end of contract negotiations suddenly refused to sign with their prospective teams or demanded a raise after being contacted. In an extreme example, one player’s parents were contacted and told that if the player’s team failed to renew their contract by Nov. 16 then the player would become a free agent.
On Nov. 15, Nongshim Red Force took to Twitter and claimed that they had experienced the player tampering first hand. The LCK organization supposedly has evidence of attempted tampering toward its players.
This evidence is stated to include “Both direct and indirect conversations with other team staff”, “Sending offers before the expiration of the players’ current contracts”, and “Giving information on the potential roster once the players arrive.” The organization reiterated their frustration at the situation and stated that steps are being taken to deal with the situation, as team league seeks to “cope with this situation and protect the fairness of the LCK.”
Nongshim Red Force recently released their midlaner Kim “Gori” Tae-woo alongside its substitute bottom lane duo of Hwang “Wanye” Seo-hyeon and Kwak “Yusin” Yu-sin. The players or teams involved in this ordeal have not been revealed and will likely remain anonymous for the immediate future.
The LCK offseason has only just begun and as we see team’s rosters begin to take shape, the consequences of this scandal may become known.
