The LATAM SI 2022 Closed Qualifier has been canceled but players have voiced frustration with the situation this has created.
Rainbow Six Siege's LATAM SI 2022 Closed Qualifier has been put "on hold" after teams broke some safety precautions, creating an uproar in the Rainbow Six esports community.
The Rainbow Six Esports Twitter account announced the news just days before the teams were set to take the stage on January 15. The Closed Qualifiers let teams from the region to earn a spot at the Six Invitational 2022, a major Rainbow Six tournament taking place in February.
Teams get COVID after not following safety precautions
The last-minute decision was due to several teams breaching safety precautions by getting into the same van to go get a COVID-19 test. Some players ended up testing positive, meaning multiple teams were exposed. Even though Atheris Esports was planning to have sick players compete in an isolated area, the TO decided to put the event "on hold."
"We have decided to put the qualifier on hold until we can validate that the sanitary measures put in place by our tournament organizer are correctly followed to ensure the safety of all participants and staff. We are exploring all options with our tournament organizers to proceed with the scheduled matches in a safe environment..." the announcement read.
R6 Siege esports community angry about postponed LATAM Closed Qualifier event
Despite the sound reasoning behind the LATAM SI 2022 Closed Qualifier "hold," the Rainbow Six Siege community was not impressed with how the entire situation was handled.
Furious Gamings' Nahuel Cobas wrote out a TwitLonger explaining the frustration with the last-minute decision. Cobas said that the "competitive integrity" of the Qualifier is "completely destroyed." MiBR and Black Dragons were training together at home "as if nothing happened" while other teams were locked in hotel rooms and didn't have permission to be with their teammates. Teams trapped at the hotel were also not given proper meals that lacked essential nutrients.
But Cobas continued that this disorganization was due to the staff responsible for the Qualifiers. He stated: "We are tired of the lack of information and treatment we receive from the organizers. Noone from ESL contacted us this whole time."
Cobas concluded that this is part of the reason organizations don't invest in smaller regions.
Other prominent members of the Rainbow Six Siege esports scene were in agreement. Furious Gamings' owner and CEO tweeted: "Is someone from Ubisoft, Rainbow Six Esports or ESL Brazil going to take responsibility or are they are going to keep looking for a side? Then you don’t understand why the game doesn’t attract more teams or audiences. You are a disaster."
Malvinas Gaming's Tomás Freddo Otañi tweeted that the teams just want to go home but they aren't allowed. He compared their situation to being in prison, stating that he feels "stranded indefinitely" on Twitter. Like Cobas, he felt that their health was being ignored as they awaited a way to get home.
Another stated that maybe Rainbow Six Siege teams from Brazil should switch to VALORANT for better treatment.
Rainbow Six Siege has continued to be negatively impacted by the ongoing global pandemic. Pros and fans alike are becoming frustrated with the lack of communication and organization behind many of these hard, last-minute decisions.