All teams at Worlds are required to have 6 players onsite (Worlds Rules: 3.2). If a team is unable to field a substitute player after the regional roster lock, the rules (Worlds Rules: 3.2.2) state that a team can apply to their local region and Worlds officials for permission to sign a new player to the roster, provided that the player has not played in any professional league in the second split of the year. A professional team is defined as a team that can qualify for Worlds (so, for example a Challenger team would not be a professional team, but rather a semi-professional team) (Worlds Rules: 3.5).

Despite timely efforts, Move, the jungler for TCL representative team 1907 Fenerbahce, has been thus-far unable to secure a visa to enter China and compete in Worlds. In the case of an emergency situation, Worlds officials may allow a team to add a substitute without applying a penalty. For example, if a player simply refuses to travel or can’t secure a visa because they missed a filing deadline, we would not consider that to be an emergency. (Worlds Rules: 3.5).

In the case of 1907 Fenerbahce, we have determined that Move filed for a visa in a timely fashion (and has continued and is continuing his efforts to be granted a visa). We consider this situation to be out of the team and player’s control, and have granted 1907 Fenerbahce an exemption under the rules to add a player to their roster without penalty. (Worlds Rules: 3.2).

1907 Fenerbahçe has contracted Crash, the jungler for Vici Gaming of the LSPL (the Chinese equivalent of a Challenger Series). Although Vici Gaming won promotion to the LPL in 2018, we consider Vici to be a semi-professional organization since they did not play a professional game during the second split of 2017.

Crash has now officially joined 1907 Fenerbahçe’s roster. If, at some point during the team’s campaign at Worlds, Move is able to secure a visa and join the team, 1907 Fenerbahce is required to play with Move and make Crash inactive for the remainder of Worlds.