LoL superstar may miss Worlds 2024 due to lawsuit despite already qualifying

LNG Esports’ star mid laner Lee ‘Scout’ Ye-chan might miss the 2024 League of Legends World Championship because his former team EDward Gaming is suing him.

Scout qualified for Worlds 2024 with LNG Esports through the LPL 2024 Regional Finals on August 31. This will be his second trip to the international tournament with LNG – if he’s allowed to make the trip.

According to a report from Korean news outlet Daily Esports, EDward Gaming may block him from traveling despite having already qualified.

The org has been in some form of civil litigation with Scout since 2022, and they’ve requested a travel ban for the player. The Chinese team initially sued the South Korean League of Legends pro for negotiating with other teams while under contract.

This is EDG’s second trial against Scout, as the organization appealed the court’s first decision and added to the potential travel ban stipulation.

The first lawsuit against Scout was a dispute over his contract, as the player reportedly agreed to join an LCK team while still under contract with EDG. He was eventually allowed to sign with a new team in Korea in the 2022 offseason, but eventually returned to China to compete on LNG Esports with the LPL.

According to the report, Scout’s ability to attend the tournament is up to EDG and whether the organization will enforce the ban. LNG Esports is set to start its Worlds journey on the Swiss Stage on October 3.

If the player cannot attend the tournament, LNG will have to field an emergency substitute, as its current sub is a jungler.

Scout, LNG Esports, and EDG have not put out any statements about the situation at the time of writing. Top players that could take his place from the LPL that aren’t going to the World Championship include Zeng ‘Yagao’ Qi, Song ‘Rookie’ Eui-jin, or the currently team-less Kim ‘Doinb’ Tae-sang

Scout led EDward Gaming to a Worlds title in 2021 and has been a starting player on the squad since 2016. The Korean player also helped the organization qualify for the international tournament five times across his seven years on the team, though EDG certainly wasn’t happy with the way in which he left.

Since moving to LNG, Scout has helped the team to a top-eight finish at Worlds 2023.