Riot Games has put Estral Esports’ top laner, Park “Summit” Woo-tae, on a temporary hold. This action follows claims of cheating during a match against Disguised. The incident took place during the Promotion Tournament for the 2026 League of Legends (LoL) Championship Series, known as the LCS. This temporary suspension means Summit cannot compete as a full investigation begins.
The controversy unfolded during a crucial best-of-five series. Suddenly, DDoS attacks struck Riot’s servers. This stopped the game dead for about two hours. During this long, unexpected pause, a camera caught Summit. He was seen watching a video-on-demand (VOD) of the very game they were playing. The image appeared in the background of his teammate, Jang “Ghost” Yong-jun, who is the team’s marksman.
Lol okay sure bud. It’s pretty blatant. https://t.co/QLL54SjR4l pic.twitter.com/lbrmwVrzGX
— Erick “Decerux” Beltran (@Decerux) October 7, 2025
Given this, the game’s publisher decided to remove Summit from play. They want to conduct a full review of the situation. This pause gives Estral Esports a chance to find a stand-in for the match. The series is set to continue this Tuesday.
Riot Games Speaks Out
Riot Games shared its official stance on the matter. The organization highlighted its commitment to fair play.
“After an extensive review of the allegations raised during the LTA North Promotion Tournament between Estral Esports and Disguised, match officials have provisionally suspended Summit from competing pending the conclusion of a full investigation.”
“The Global Esports Code of Conduct – 2025 Edition states that:”
“Cheating is defined as the use of any method, technique or technology in or out of game that affects the outcome of a match or grants an unfair advantage to a player or team, including, for example, the use of hacks, exploitation of bugs, cheating or communicating with individuals not participating in the match.”
“Estral Esports will be able to field a substitute player from their current roster during this period. We take all levels of competition seriously and remain committed to upholding competitive integrity across all matches.” – Riot Games
Competitive Update on the Promotion Tournament pic.twitter.com/yfamhqtRAV
— LTA North (@LTANorth) October 7, 2025
Estral Esports’ Perspective
Estral Esports, Summit’s team, also issued a statement. They acknowledged the event but argued against the harshness of the punishment.
“To our passionate community,”
“We would like to address the recent provisional suspension of our player, Summit, and clarify our position.”
“We understand the frustration and outrage this situation has caused, and we fully share these feelings. Our series faced significant technical challenges, including DDoS attacks on Riot’s servers, which resulted in a pause of more than two hours without a clear solution or effective communication from the officials present.”
“We recognize that, amidst the uncertainty, our player made a mistake by watching a broadcast during the pause. However, there was no malice or intention to gain an advantage. It was an unfortunate action stemming from an unsustainable situation.”
“We believe the imposed sanction is disproportionate and excessively severe. The penalty does not take into account the human factor of having seven people (players and technical staff) waiting in front of a computer for more than five hours, without movement or solutions.”
“We have filed a formal appeal with the league. We will continue to advocate for the fair treatment of our players and seek a more humane standard in event management.”
“We sincerely thank you for your continued support and trust.” – Estral Gaming
The organization has formally appealed to the league. They hope to overturn the punishment so Summit can play in the upcoming Tuesday match at 5 PM. The incident highlights the ongoing debate about competitive fairness and player well-being in the high-stakes world of esports.