Florescent cleared: Riot greenlights VCT comeback
Riot Games has officially announced that no competitive penalties will be issued to Ava "florescent" Eugene, meaning she is cleared to return to Riot-sanctioned events. Nearly a year after stepping away from the competitive scene amid controversy, the former Apeks player is now eligible to make her return to Tier 1 competition.
Impressive history
Florescent became a well-known name in the Game Changers scene after putting up standout performances with Shopify Rebellion. She made history by becoming the first Game Changers player to be signed to a VCT roster when she joined Apeks in 2025.
After entering the Tier 1 EMEA scene, she continued to deliver strong performances, but things took a turn following Stage 1.
Taking a step back from competitive play
In April 2025, florescent stepped away from competitive play, stating that she had been dealing with a number of personal issues that were beginning to take a toll. One of the challenges included her move from the Americas to EMEA, with little time to rest before being thrust into top-tier VCT competition.
Allegations surface
Shortly after her announcement, multiple sexual assault allegations against the player surfaced. Among them, former Game Changers player Marceline "karie" Carson claimed that florescent had manipulated and sexually assaulted a close friend of hers in early 2024.
Florescent denied all allegations, stating that she was seeking legal assistance and intended to clear her name. The situation prompted Riot Games to launch a formal review to determine whether any rules outlined in the Esports Global Code of Conduct had been violated.
Riot’s decision
In its final ruling, Riot stated that the matter was personal in nature and that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that a violation of the Code of Conduct had occurred. As a result, florescent remains eligible to compete in the VCT.
Comeback on the horizon?
Whether florescent will return to competitive play remains uncertain. While Riot’s decision clears the path for a comeback, her departure from the scene was surrounded by significant controversy. At present, florescent is without a team after parting ways with Apeks in July 2025.
For more VCT news, stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG
Featured image source: Riot Games.
After earning a bachelor's degree in journalism and media creation and working as a journalist for two years, Gry set her sights on her true goal: becoming an esports journalist. Although she's relatively new to esports writing, the scene itself is far from unfamiliar. After spending a few years dominating in CS:GO, she dove into VALORANT when it launched-and her passion for the game has never faded. Now, Gry is part of the content team at THESPIKEGG, where she'll conduct interviews and write a variety of articles.
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