Riot Games and the LPL have permanently banned Top Esports jungler Naiyou from competitive League of Legends following an investigation into match-fixing. The ban applies to the LPL and all Riot Games and Tencent-operated competitions worldwide.
Top Esports immediately terminated Naiyou’s contract after the ruling was announced. The organization confirmed it will withhold all unpaid salary and performance bonuses owed to the player.
The investigation was triggered by a playoff series between TES and Weibo Gaming that drew immediate scrutiny from fans and analysts. In the deciding game five, Naiyou played Skarner and built heavy magic resistance items against a team composition that was almost entirely attack damage-based. The enemy team’s only notable AP threat was Galio.
Naiyou specifically built Spirit Visage and began purchasing components for a second Spirit Visage. The itemization made no sense for a professional match and raised instant red flags about intentional underperformance.
Beyond the bizarre build choices, clips from the match showed other questionable plays including poor positioning, missed ultimates, and seemingly purposeless roaming. The performance stood out as abnormally bad even accounting for nerves or off-days.
Match-fixing cases at the top-tier LPL level are relatively rare compared to lower leagues. The case gained significant attention because TES is a major organization and Naiyou was a starting player, not a fringe roster member.
The official ruling also criticized Top Esports for failing to detect and stop the misconduct earlier. The league called on organizations to improve player education and supervision to protect competitive integrity.
The LPL operates as China’s premier League of Legends competition and ranks among the most-watched esports leagues globally. Tencent, which owns Riot Games, plays a major role in operating the Chinese competitive ecosystem.
