**TL;DR**
Riot has identified 14 players from the Turkish Academy League (TAL) involved in breaches of the Turkish Championship League (TCL) rules by engaging in match-fixing, betting and/or ringing activities or having failed to report those during the TAL Spring and Summer split 2022.
Some of the players in question, who are listed below, will now face suspensions for these activities and be banned from participating in all Riot-affiliated competitions for a set period of time, the length of which will be dependent on the severity of the breaches they have committed.
**Timeline**
At the end of the TAL Spring Split 2022, Riot was made aware of potential suspicious betting activities related to matches that had taken place during the split.
Upon receiving the complaints, Riot immediately appointed their integrity partner Sportradar, responsible for sports betting monitoring and intelligence services, to further look into the matter in detail and interview persons of interest associated with the matches in question.
Based on detailed evidence at hand, and in accordance with Riot’s TCL Rulebook, the TAL players Efehan “361efe” Ordulu, Ahmet Ömer “chr1sz” Mutlu, Eyüp “Crasia” Oğur, Serhat Kaan “CrawL” Hitay, Eren “Dellal” Tanrıkulu, Oğuzhan “Oguzkhan” Delihasanoğlu, Alperen “Poguee” Sakallı and Enes “Secondate” Çelik were found to have potentially participated in match-fixing or betting activities. In view of the seriousness of the incidents and the evidence at Riot’s disposal, said players were provisionally suspended on 30 May 2022 from taking part in all Riot sanctioned competitions so that Riot could take all the necessary steps to conduct disciplinary proceedings.
On 29 July 2022, Riot was made aware of additional evidence about allegations of betting and ringing for monetary gain against the TAL players Ali “SunShine” Aslan, Bedirhan “Cape” Çalışkan, Bedirhan “Joexy” Kalkan, Muhammet “Momer” Omer, Efehan “361efe” Ordulu, Yigit “Lenom” Kantar and Cengizhan “Merciless” Teker. We had reason to believe that these new allegations were connected to the Spring Split case, therefore Riot decided to conduct an investigation into these new allegations and to extend the original provisional suspensions.
After conducting a thorough investigation over several months, within the scope of conduct described in the TCL Rulebook, while providing the implicated players the right to be heard, Riot found substantial evidence that several players were involved in a broader betting-related manipulation scheme, with the aim of manipulating matches to profit from bets on match results or in-game events, such as for example First Blood. As part of this scheme, they actively engaged other players, which also included ringing matches for monetary gains during both the Spring and Summer Split of 2022.
Consequently, Riot imposed sanctions in line with its disciplinary procedures on the players involved in breach of the TCL Rulebook. In view of the seriousness of its findings during the investigations, Riot is now referring the matter to the relevant authorities in Türkiye for further review and consideration.
**Relevant rules :**
-**TCL Rulebook 10.1.5.** *Ringing, which is defined as playing using another Player's account or solicitation to do so.*
-**TCL Rulebook 10.2.7.** *If the League or Riot Games determine that a Team, Team Manager or Team Member has violated the Summoner’s Code, the League of Legends Terms of Use, or other rules of League of Legends, League Officials may assign penalties at their sole discretion. Furthermore, if a Team Manager/Member has committed rules violations, League Officials reserve the right to impose additional sanctions on that Team Manager/Member’s Team if it determines the Team was complicit or otherwise associated with the misconduct in question. If a League Official contacts a Team Manager/Member to discuss the investigation, the Team Manager/Member is obligated to tell the truth. If a Team Manager/Member withholds information or misleads a League Official creating an obstruction of the investigation then the Team Manager, Team Member and/or Team is subject to punishment.*
-**TCL Rulebook 10.2.13.** *No Team Manager/Member may engage in any action that could improperly influence or manipulate any esports tournament or esports match globally or any portion or aspect of such competition. Additionally, no Team Manager/Member or League Official may instruct, permit, cause, or enable other individuals to engage in such actions.*
-**TCL Rulebook 10.2.15.** *No Team Manager/Member may engage, nor attempt to engage, in any legal or illegal gambling activity relating in any way to any global esports tournament or event. This rule applies to all esports gambling activities including, without limitation, those available in any physical retail location or those conducted via the internet. Gambling activity is defined as placing anything of value – including real currency, virtual currency, or other digital assets – at risk in connection with a bet or wager. Additionally, no Team Manager/Member, League Official, or Riot Games employee may instruct, permit, cause, or enable other individuals to engage, nor attempt to engage, in any legal or illegal gambling activity relating in any way to any global esports tournament or event.*
-**TCL Rulebook 10.2.18.** *All individuals subject to these rules are under a duty to report to Riot Games and the League, without undue delay and unprompted at the first available opportunity, via email, any witnessed, attempted, suspected, or known violation of these rules. Individuals are obligated to report such activity whether they were directly involved in the matter or should have reasonably been aware of the matter. Failure to report such information constitutes a rules violation in itself. Retaliation against any individual who, in good faith, reports such a matter is strictly prohibited.*
**Ruling:**
Match-fixing is detrimental to the integrity of the competition and is considered a serious breach by Riot. The TCL Rules apply to both Team Managers and Team Members of the participating TAL. As a player of the TAL, one qualifies as a Team Member and is therefore subject to said rules. In particular, the TCL Rules state that Team Members may not engage in any action that could improperly influence or manipulate any esports tournament or esports match globally or any portion or aspect of such competition and/or in any legal or illegal gambling activity relating to any global esports tournament or event. Additionally, no Team Member or League Official may instruct, permit, cause, or enable other individuals to engage in such actions.
While passing its decision Riot took into account all the facts surrounding each individual case. In particular, the information and data received from the betting monitoring systems of the matches in question, the statements provided by the players, witness statements by other players and evidence of incriminating online correspondence between players that Riot was able to obtain.
When assessing appropriate sanctions of the breaches, each case was analyzed on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all aggravating and mitigating circumstances for each player as well as the duration of the provisional suspensions already applied on some of the players. The specific circumstances that have been taken into account by Riot to determine the applicable sanction for each player, are individually referred below.
The following players have been found to breach the TCL Rulebook:
*Efehan “361efe” Ordulu, breached art. 10.1.5, 10.2.13 and 10.2.15 TCL Rulebook*
Efehan “361efe” Ordulu has been found to be involved in match-fixing, betting and ringing in both the TAL Spring and Summer Split 2022. He placed multiple bets and manipulated matches in which he participated for betting gains. He is found to have actively encouraged other players to participate in match-fixing and thus was part of a broader scheme involving other offenders. Moreover, while being provisionally suspended, he participated in a match where he was part of a ringing scheme to influence the outcome of the match for monetary gains. Riot considered as aggravating circumstances the seriousness of the provisions he breached, the fact that he betted on a match he was participating in and that said bet was successful, as well as is failure to abide by the provisional suspension imposed on him by Riot on 30 May 2022, since he participated in a match while being provisionally suspended.
In view of the above, Riot decided to sanction Efehan “361efe” Ordulu for five (5) years from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. The sanction will be applied retroactively taking into account the time he already served during the provisional suspension and will be valid from 30 May 2022 to 29 May 2027.
*Ahmet Ömer “chr1sz” Mutlu, breached art. 10.2.13 and 10.2.15 TCL Rulebook*
Ahmet Ömer “chr1sz” Mutlu has been found to be involved in match-fixing and betting. In particular, the player placed multiple bets on matches he participated in, and manipulated, to secure successful betting outcomes. Riot considered as mitigating circumstances the fact that he promptly admitted to betting. Riot considered as aggravating circumstances the fact that he placed multiple bets on several different matches, and that the match he manipulated affected the overall outcome of the match.
In view of the above, Riot decided to sanction Ahmet Ömer “chr1sz” Mutlu for four (4) years from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. The sanction will be applied retroactively taking into account the time he already served during the provisional suspension and will be valid from 30 May 2022 to 29 May 2026.
*Eyüp “Crasia” Oğur, breached art. 10.2.13 TCL Rulebook*
Eyüp “Crasia” Oğur has been found to be involved in manipulating the result of a match he was participating in.
In view of the above, Riot decided to sanction Eyüp “Crasia” Oğur for three (3) years from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. The sanction will be applied retroactively taking into account the time he already served during the provisional suspension and will be valid from 30 May 2022 to 29 May 2025.
*Serhat Kaan “CrawL” Hitay, breached art. 10.2.13 TCL Rulebook*
Serhat Kaan “CrawL” Hitay has been found to be involved in match-fixing.
In view of the above, Riot decided to sanction Serhat Kaan “CrawL” Hitay for three (3) years from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. The sanction will be applied retroactively taking into account the time he already served during the provisional suspension and will be valid from 30 May 2022 to 29 May 2025.
*Eren “Dellal” Tanrıkulu*
Riot considered that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Eren “Dellal” Tanrıkulu’s had breached the TCL Rulebook from the above allegations. Consequently, Riot decided to lift the provisional suspension with immediate effect and issue a reminder letter to Eren “Dellal” Tanrıkulu about his duties under the TCL Rulebook.
*Oğuzhan “Oguzkhan” Delihasanoğlu, breached art. 10.2.13 TCL Rulebook*
Oğuzhan “Oguzkhan” Delihasanoğlu has been found to be involved in match-fixing in a match he was participating in.
In view of the above, Riot decided to sanction Oğuzhan “Oguzkhan” Delihasanoğlu for three (3) years from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. The sanction will be applied retroactively taking into account the time already served by the player during the provisional suspension and will be valid from 30 May 2022 to 29 May 2025.
*Alperen “Poguee” Sakallı, breached art. 10.2.13 TCL Rulebook*
Alperen “Poguee” Sakallı has been found to be involved in match-fixing in a match he was participating in. Riot considered as aggravating circumstances the player’s high degree of culpability. In this regard, the player was found to have proactively communicated with other players to organize the manipulation of matches for betting purposes.
In view of the above, Riot decided to sanction Alperen “Poguee” Sakallı for four (4) years from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. The sanction will be applied retroactively taking into account the time he already served during the provisional suspension and will be valid from 30 May 2022 to 29 May 2026.
*Enes “Secondate” Çelik, breached art. 10.2.7 and 10.2.18 TCL Rulebook*
Enes “Secondate” Çelik has breached the TCL Rulebook in connection with his duty to report his high suspicion of other TAL players ringing a match for betting purposes.
In view of the above, Riot decided to issue a warning to Enes “Secondate” Çelik and to ban him for five (5) months from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. As the sanction will be applied retroactively taking into account the time he already served during the provisional suspension since 30 May 2022, he is no longer serving a ban.
*Ali “SunShine” Aslan, breached art. 10.1.5 TCL Rulebook*
Ali “SunShine” Aslan has been found to be involved in ringing a match for betting purposes he was participating in. Riot considered as aggravating circumstances the fact that he encouraged other players involved in the case to not disclose any information to Riot, and consequently attempted to collude with others to obstruct the investigation.
In view of the above, Riot decided to sanction Ali “SunShine” Aslan for ten (10) months from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. The sanction will be applied immediately and valid until 21 September 2023.
*Bedirhan “Cape” Çalışkan, breached art. 10.2.7 and 10.1.5 TCL Rulebook*
Bedirhan “Cape” Çalışkan has been found to be involved in ringing a match for betting purposes he was participating in. Riot considered as aggravating circumstances the fact that he played a central role in encouraging other players to commit the breach and obstructed the investigation.
In view of the above, Riot decided to sanction Bedirhan “Cape” Çalışkan for twenty (20) months from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. The sanction will be applied immediately and valid until 21 July 2024.
*Bedirhan “Joexy” Kalkan, breached art. 10.2.7 TCL Rulebook*
Riot considered that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Bedirhan “Joexy” Kalkan had breached the TCL Rulebook from the above allegations.
Therefore, Riot decided to issue a reminder letter to Bedirhan “Joexy” Kalkan about the duties under the TCL Rulebook.
*Muhammet “Momer” Omer, breached art. 10.1.5 TCL Rulebook*
Muhammet “Momer” Omer has been found to be involved in ringing a match for betting purposes. Riot considered as an aggravating circumstance the fact that he encouraged other players involved in the case not to disclose any information to Riot, and consequently attempted to collude with others to obstruct the investigation.
In view of the above, Riot decided to sanction Muhammet “Momer” Omer for ten (10) months from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. The sanction will be applied immediately and is valid until 21 September 2023.
*Yigit “Lenom” Kantar, breached art. 10.1.5 and 10.2.15 TCL Rulebook*
Yigit “Lenom” Kantar has been found to be involved in ringing a match for betting purposes as well as betting on other League of Legends matches.
In view of the above, Riot decided to sanction Yigit “Lenom” Kantar for thirteen (13) months from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. The sanction will be applied immediately and is valid until 21 December 2023.
*Cengizhan “Merciless” Teker, breached art. 10.1.5 TCL Rulebook*
Cengizhan “Merciless” Teker has been found to be involved in ringing a match for betting purposes.
In view of the above, Riot decided to sanction Cengizhan “Merciless” Teker for ten (10) months from all official Riot sanctioned competitions. The sanction will be applied immediately and is valid until 21 September 2023.
