In South Korea, there is an obsession with a case in League of Legends: The LoL coach Kim “cvMax” Dae-ho is alleged to have choked his player Choi “Sword” Sung-won. The case is being investigated like a court case. Now, 2 witnesses have been cross-examined.
This is the background: Coach cvMax is something like the “shining figure” in South Korean LoL. He is considered a “super coach” who discovers and nurtures talent. The newcomer guided the team Griffin from the second league to the World Championship. cvMax was however dismissed just before the Worlds 2019.
Allegations arose that cvMax had physically attacked and choked one of his players: the top laner “Sword”. He was considered the weakest link of Team Griffin and actually imploded upon elimination from the Worlds 2019.
cvMax was banned from LoL for life after the allegations against Sword, but the fans protested. Riot Games relented, lifted the ban, and ordered a new investigation. This investigation has been ongoing for almost a year now.
The team Griffin itself plays no more role; it was dissolved after a scandal in 2019. But cvMax continued in 2020 with two of his players at DRX, again made it to the Worlds, but this team also fell apart now.
Cross-examination like in a court drama
What makes the case so fascinating? The Korean site Inven has now published the transcript of two cross-examinations. Two assistant coaches from Team Griffin were meticulously questioned about the incident, whether cvMax choked the top laner Sword or not.
The interrogations read like scenes from a courtroom drama like “Law and Order.”
The prosecutor aims to prove that cvMax repeatedly physically touched his players and that this behavior is excessive. Other coaches would never behave this way.
The defender wants to prove that it was only in the best interest of the players and that they “somehow deserved” this behavior because they played weakly. The touching was supposed to serve as a coaching method, not as a loss of impulse control.
In December, there is supposed to be a fifth and final hearing: Apparently, another player will be questioned who followed cvMax to the new team, either Chovy or Doran. After that, a verdict is expected.
After the end of Team Griffin, cvMax made a new attempt with DRX to become world champion. The team was successful under his leadership and quickly became number 2 in South Korea. However, this team did not last long either. After just a year, DRX completely fell apart:
LoL professional sadly recounts how one of the best teams in the world fell apart
The defender tries to discredit the witnesses’ reports as unreliable because they could not immediately recall details. It is about marks from choking on the neck.
When we went for food, I saw that Sword’s neck was red and swollen. I saw bloody imprints from fingernails on his neck.
When was that?
I think it was in the spring, but I’m not sure about the exact date. I told Sword to treat the area with ointment, but I didn’t apply it myself.
Sword did not mention any bloodstains on his neck. Did that just occur to you?
I said it before, but I don’t remember if it came up.
Did you see that cvMax did that?
I did not see it.
Did Sword say that cvMax did that?
Sword didn’t even know he had bloodstains on his neck.
The difficulty is that apparently no one really saw the actual incident, the choking. The coach is said to have held and shaken players by their shoulders. In addition, he is said to have hit the players’ gaming chair. This has happened more frequently; that seems to be agreed upon. But whether it escalated further and he really choked a player is the crucial point.
The defender constructs it such that top laner Sword was a weak player who died 10 times in a practice match and was later replaced by a better player, Doran. Sword would thus, it is implied, have a motive to frame the coach.
What makes the case so delicate: The public sentiment in South Korea seems to be completely on the side of cvMax. He is seen as someone who is extremely ambitious and leads his team to success.
When cvMax was banned for life, the petition for his “release” garnered 200,000 signatures.
Sword is the “scapegoat” in the story, portraying himself as a victim because he was simply too weak. It is suggested: Sword has conspired and complained to the management to return to the team. But without the new star top laner and the brilliant coach, Team Griffin had no success at the Worlds 2019, according to the perspective of many fans.
In December, there is supposed to be a fifth and final hearing: Apparently, another player will be questioned who followed cvMax to the new team, either Chovy or Doran. After that, a verdict is expected.
After the end of Team Griffin, cvMax made a new attempt with DRX to become world champion. The team was successful under his leadership and quickly became number 2 in South Korea. However, this team did not last long either. After just a year, DRX completely fell apart:
LoL professional sadly recounts how one of the best teams in the world fell apart
