Buzz
SE players received back-to-back global bans in the same season, with some responsibility also falling on the management.
Embracing the motto 'Live By Emotion'
SBTC Esports officially entered the Vietnamese Esports scene in the 2021 season, boasting a League of Legends team comprised of players who have made a name for themselves in the VCS such as Petland, Yijin, Celebrity, Dia1, Zeros... The ambition of renowned streamer, Teacher Ba - SE's co-owner, was to create a 'Dream Team' capable of dethroning the likes of Team Flash, GAM Esports, Saigon Buffalo to become a new force dominating the VCS.
However, at the end of the Spring 2021 VCS, the team only managed to secure 5th place, and in the Winter 2021 season, they finished in 7th place. It can be said that in terms of achievements, SE LoL did not meet the expectations of the fans, even with a lineup of 'superstars' or a rebuild with promising young talents combined with seasoned players.
Also at the beginning of the season, SBTC Esports launched their version of League of Legends: Wild Rift. Although not composed of players familiar to Teacher Ba as the LoL team, the Wild Rift SE team initially focused on many familiar names from the SBTC streaming group such as Mina Young, Bui 'yT' The Vinh, or Van 'Potm' Huu Bao. Particularly, upon announcing the lineup for the Icon Series SEA Summer 2021, the Wild Rift SE team welcomed the addition of Minas - a former legendary Marksman of the VCS.
In contrast to SE LoL, the SE Wild Rift team clinched 3 championships including the SEA Icon Series 2021 Summer and Fall, and the SEA Championship 2021. At one point, fans of both teams even coined SBTC to mean 'Living Through Speed Battles'.
The global ban saga of the duo Zeros - Minas
If Zeros is the pillar of SE LoL, then Minas is also an indispensable member of SE Wild Rift. Besides their brotherly bond and both being pillars in their respective SE teams, both playing in the top lane (or the Baron lane in Wild Rift), Zeros and Minas also share another point: receiving global bans from Riot in the same 2021 season.
For Zeros, this player was penalized for verbal misconduct related to the Covid-19 pandemic. With previous penalties and considering the tense situation of the pandemic at the time of Zeros' misconduct, both the VCS organizers and Riot didn't hesitate to penalize this player harshly. Zeros thus became the first player in the entire Vietnamese Esports scene to receive such a heavy penalty from Riot. The incident drew attention from the international League of Legends community. Despite being deemed a heavy penalty, Riot has yet to show any signs of leniency.
Recently, it was Minas, the older brother of Zeros, who received a global ban for gambling activities related to Wild Rift matches. This is a taboo action in all sports worldwide, not just in Esports or Wild Rift. Minas stated that Riot even considered his previous night-time misconduct to determine the final penalty.
When 'Living By Emotions' is not enough to create professionalism
The players from both SE teams have somewhat of a close relationship with Teacher Ba and manager Cao Le Tuan Tu. Yet, neither of them has ever enforced the strict regulations required for professional players onto their juniors. As a result, SE LoL has faced numerous penalties ranging from minor to severe, while SE Wild Rift, despite their high achievements, received an immediate global ban from Minas at the end of the season for the gravest offense a professional athlete can commit: betting on their own matches.
Players like Minas, Zeros, even before their global bans, were veterans in the Vietnamese Esports scene. However, this does not necessarily equate to professionalism. After his global ban, Zeros had the chance to have his ban lifted, but neither he nor his mentors showed any signs of remorse. In fact, Zeros was even dubbed 'immortal' by fans, able to freely attack GAM without fear of further punishment. Before his global ban, Zeros was accused of unprofessional behavior in training and competition by his close mentor Tinikun.
As for Minas, he should have been aware that as a professional player, any gambling activities are strictly prohibited, as there would be no turning back. Yet, in the end, Minas 'took the plunge', and the SE management completely failed to control his actions. Especially, manager Cao Le Tuan Tu once asserted that SE Wild Rift had no cheating or gambling behavior.
Conclusion
Minas and Zeros have ruined their careers, that's undeniable. However, it's clear that if from the beginning, the SE leadership had been stricter in managing the players, perhaps Zeros wouldn't have made mistakes or Minas wouldn't have 'taken the plunge'. But what's done is done. We only hope that Zeros' household not only serves as a model but also awakens the SE management to the need for building a professional team that requires close, rigorous monitoring of each player, both in and out of competitions. In a professional environment, appropriate emotions foster team cohesion, but if it's too lenient, it will surely have adverse effects.
