Twitch: Riot Games
Billibilli toplaner Chen “Bin” Zebin has been fined by the LPL for refusing to give fans high-fives after his matches for the EDG series.
Billibilli Gaming faced off against EDWard Gaming in the League of Legends Pro League on Wednesday, June 3.
According to the LPL, Bin failed to meet his contractual obligations after the match, which Billibilli Gaming won in a resounding 3-0 sweep.
More specifically, the LPL states that Bin didn’t give fans high-fives, a mandatory part of his on-stage interaction requirements. An official statement from the LPL states that Bin disrupted the match and “negatively impacted the viewing experience and enthusiasm of the audience.”
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The LPL’s investigation into the matter found that BLG’s management of their players and their behavior before the day’s matches were “inadequate” and “failed to effectively fulfill its supervisory and management responsibilities.”
As punishment, BLG was fined for a whopping ¥50,000 ($7.3K USD) and given a public reprimand. Bin was reportedly fined ¥150,000 ($22K USD). The LPL said that he was also “publicly criticized” and ordered to undergo “relevant training and education.”
“Players should strictly adhere to professional conduct and maintain a positive attitude both on and off the field, respecting the competition and the audience,” the LPL said.
“Clubs need to comprehensively improve their management mechanisms to prevent similar incidents from recurring. …We hope that all league personnel will learn from this incident, adhere to professional standards, and cherish every viewer.”
LPL, m.sohu.comA machine-translated version of the LPL’s official statement regarding Bin’s fine, as well as the original text provided by m.sohu.com.
Responses from fans have been largely mixed, some many believing the financial aspect of the punishment is too severe, while others argue that Bin failed to meet a fairly simple contractual obligation.
“This is a prank, right?” one wrote on X.
“He didn’t high-five the VIP ticket section where you’re supposed to give high-fives,” another claimed. “VIP is probably hella expensive, and fans paid extra for that interaction.”
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Thus far, neither Bin nor Billibilli Gaming has responded to the fine.
