KRU Esports express concerns over participation in upcoming South American LCQ

When VCT 2022 - South America Last Chance Qualifier was announced through Brazil’s official Valorant Champions Tour twitter handle, there were mixed reactions from fans of both regions. Several Brazilian fans, in particular, expressed their disappointment as the unpleasant memory of potential racist and derogatory comments from a LATAM player still remained fresh.

Considering the potential implications of the existing tension between LATAM and Brazil, it is not surprising that KRU Esports, who have been on the forefront of these issues, have concerns for their security. Earlier today, KRÜ Esports released a statement highlighting their plan for participating in the tournament scheduled to take place at Ginásio do Ibirapuera.

A quick translation of their statements produces the following:

“The safety of our players and staff is a priority. We are in conversation with Riot Games LATAM and Riot Games Brasil for the security protocols that will be established to ensure our participation in the LCQ in Brazil. If we (as an organization), or any member of our team are not satisfied, we will evaluate how to proceed accordingly.”

Their take on the current situation is understandable and if things go south, we might not witness one of the biggest teams in the LATAM region participate in the Last Chance Qualifiers. Participating in the tournament will be a total of eight teams, four from Brazil and four from LATAM. Apart from the individual spot Brazil and LATAM already have at VCT 2022 - Champions Istanbul, the LCQ will allow two more teams to collectively represent the South American region. There will be no qualification event for the tournament, as teams will be granted a direct invitation based on their accumulated circuit points during Stage 1 and 2 of the ongoing VCT season.

The tournament will run from August 6 through August 14, with the Semifinals and Grand Finals (Saturday, August 13, and Sunday, August 14) being held in front of a live audience at Ginásio do Ibirapuera located in the capital of São Paulo.

Image Credit: Riot Games