Coaching in the League of Legends Scene
Coaching is becoming increasingly important in the world of League of Legends. The impact of a coach in the professional competitive scene is undeniable. Soren “Bjergsen” Bjerg from Team SoloMid has even stated that they wouldn’t have won their League Championship Series title without their coach.
A Controversial Rule Change
However, SK Gaming won’t be allowed to use their coach at the upcoming World Championships in Korea. Riot Games recently changed the rules to officially recognize coaches, which has caused an uproar in the community.
The Story of Nicolaj “Incarnati0n” Jensen
Nicolaj “Incarnati0n” Jensen is a legendary player who was permanently banned from League of Legends due to his behavior and alleged DDOSing of other players. Despite this, SK Gaming has used him as a coach throughout the year.
SK Gaming discussed Jensen’s coaching role with Riot Games at the start of the year and were allowed to use him as a coach. However, Jensen’s coaching position wasn’t officially recognized by Riot Games, so the ban didn’t affect his role.
A Change in the World Championships
For the World Championships in Korea, coaches will now be officially recognized. As a result, Jensen won’t be allowed backstage or in the practice room where he can provide valuable input to the team.
This news was revealed by SK Gaming support player Christoph “nRated” Seitz on the talk show Summoning Insight, leading to a harsh response from Counter Logic Gaming coach Christopher “MonteCristo” Mykles.
The Issue of Consistency
The main issue here is consistency. Riot Games has allowed Jensen to serve as a coach for the entire season, but now they are changing the rules just before the biggest competition of the year. This damages the competitive integrity of the event and puts SK Gaming at a disadvantage.
According to SK Gaming managing director Alex Müller, Riot Games notified the team of the decision just a week before they flew out to Korea, leaving them with no time to implement a backup plan.
Overall, while Riot Games has the right to punish their players, they need to be consistent in their decisions and not arbitrarily take away important opportunities from teams like SK Gaming.
Screengrab via Riot Games/YouTube
keywords: esports, League of Legends, coaching, Riot Games, World Championships, SK Gaming, Nicolaj Jensen, banned player, competitive disadvantage, consistency