GPL disqualifies Neolution just before semi-final, fans furious

Neolution eSports Full Louis has been disqualified from the Summer 2014 season, despite competing in Garena Premier League (GPL) Seasons 3 and 4. The reason? Sofm and Jeff are just too young, Garena has stated on its Facebook page.

The GPL committee discovered that the pair had previously lied about their ages while they were applying for visas to Taiwan. Neither player is 17, let alone over, and so the team has been removed from the competition. The exact details of the disqualification are as follows:

1. Neolution E-sports Full Louis is disqualified from the GPL Summer 2014 season.

2. Neolution E-sports Full Louis will not receive any circuit points from the GPL Summer 2014 season.

3. Neolution E-sports Full Louis will not receive any prize money from the GPL Summer 2014 season.

4. Neolution E-sports Full Louis will lose its right to play in semi-final #2 against AHQ.

As a consequence, Logitech G Fighter has been called upon to fill Neolution’s spot for the semi-final against AHQ. The game has also been delayed, to give both teams time to prepare. The new time for the semi-final game is Wednesday, August 6th 2014 at 6:00 P.M. (GMT+8).

The community has reacted furiously: the comments to Garena’s announcement on Facebook range from sulky grumblings to foul-mouthed tirades. Vietnamese fans in particular are generally unhappy with the decision (to say the least). Check out some choice examples below:

SOFM have played GPL 2 seasons,and now you say FL not allowed to play. ARE U FUCKING KIDDING ME?

I’ll never seen GPL again,watch OGN is more interesting than this stupid

GPL organization acts like a child, very unfair, ahq Fighter does not deserve to play!!!

Many underage prodigies in Europe like Bjergsen, Rekkless, in Korea like Faker, in China like Uzi is highly recognised and undeniable determined. Why is Sofm and Jeff got banned for being found underage? Why were they get banned after a long way from the beginning, after they drowned Logitech-G-Fighter’s voice by winning in the elimination match? Somehow, it’s sad.

Garena might have just been enforcing the rules that the players themselves agreed to follow, but that’s apparently not how a lot of the fans see it. Garena is likely to be legally obligated to take action in cases like this, to avoid allowing underage players from competing. For now, however, this has earned the company a lot of flak.