Riot has quietly made changes in their COVID-19 guidelines for CBLOL players and spectators, requiring vaccination instead of negative tests.
A new report suggests that Riot Brazil has updated its COVID-19 guidelines for players and spectators at Brazilian events for Valorant, CBLOL League of Legends, and Wild Rift.
According to the report from Globo, these guidelines will affect all players entering events in the above three games. For CBLOL, spectators entering the studio are subject to the same guidelines. Riot Games plans to have audiences in attendance, though at less than full capacity, on a weekly basis for CBLOL. Audiences are planned for the Brazilian legs of the Valorant Champions Tour this year, as well as the national championship for Wild Rift at their studio in Sao Paulo.
In order for players to play, they will have to provide a completed two-dose vaccination card or one dose in the case of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. According to the CDC, the COVID-19 vaccine remains the greatest way to slow the spread of the disease. In addition to social distancing of six feet and wearing masks.
"Riot Games is monitoring the number of cases arising from the new variants, as well as from the celebrations of the end-of-year holidays, and will still be able to modify this decision until the beginning of the championships," Riot said in a statement to Globo. "For now, the plans for holding the on-site championships are maintained."
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Controversy around COVID-19 vaccines in Valorant
Globo suggests that this change in policy came about after controversy broke in the LATAM scene around vaccinations. Rodrigo "Onur" Dalmagro, who coached KRU Esports at Valorant Champions, recently lost his deal with LOUD Esports due to his stance on COVID vaccinations. Onur was also deported back to his home country of Argentina for not being vaccinated on entry to Brazil.
He explained the situation in a Twitlonger, but this is the most important passage:
"When Loud contacted me in the past I never hid the fact that I wasn't vaccinated [for COVID-19] or my intent to not get the vaccine as a requisite to work. At first, they tried to find out if it'd be a requisite by Riot or the location where the tournament would be held to know if this could an issue. As far as I know they never got a clear answer. Loud tried helping me at all times, even when deportation was a known fact. After the social media scandal, due to this they decided to take a step back and go another way which I understand and respect."
Esports.gg has reached out to Riot Games' Global departments for both League of Legends and Valorant for comment on the new policy. Namely, to see how it will affect policies moving forward globally. Previously, the company required that players test negative using PCR tests for COVID-19 on match days, with no requirement that players be vaccinated. This policy has as recently as Valorant Champions caused some delays and controversy. Players were forced to quarantine and play matches from their hotel rooms.
