Riot Games has announced a provisional suspension for Singaporean VALORANT pro, Wong “JayH” Jia Heng, on suspicion of match-fixing. JayH recently competed in the VALORANT Challengers League (VCL) 2024 Malaysia/Singapore: Split 1 with Disguised. However, according to the statement, he is under suspicion of match-fixing for a tournament that occurred before the VCL MY/SG Split 1. In this article, we explore the statement released by the tournament organizer and JayH’s response.
Image Credits: Riot Games
Jayh Faces Provisional Suspension for Match-Fixing Allegations in VALORANT Esports
JayH has been an integral part of the VALORANT Challengers League (VCL) in Malaysia and Singapore, currently playing for the Disguised VALORANT team. With previous stints at Bleed Esports and Ninjas in Pyjamas, he has made his mark in the esports scene. Under Disguised, he played a significant role in helping the team secure the third spot during the VCL Split 1 Malaysia Singapore, a remarkable achievement for the organization owned by the popular content creator, Disguised Toast.
On April 30, the official Twitter account for VALORANT Malaysia and Singapore released a statement announcing JayH’s provisional suspension due to match-fixing suspicions. The statement indicated that JayH was suspended until further notice from all Riot Games events and third-party tournaments pending an investigation into the allegations.
The statement raises two key points. Firstly, it references an alleged match-fixing incident that predates JayH’s involvement in the VALORANT Challengers 2024. While the exact timing of the alleged match-fixing is unspecified, it could have occurred during the VCT China Ascension or the qualifying phase of the VCL Split 1.
Secondly, it is important to note that JayH has received a provisional suspension, indicating that he is banned until proven innocent by the tournament organizer and Riot Games.
Image Credits: Disguised
Another notable incident of match-fixing in the VCL Split 1 MY/SG involved “Vonce” Chew from Team PDF, who was temporarily suspended on March 24th. The suspension lasted for only 30 days, during which no matches were played in the tournament.
JayH Denies Match-Fixing Allegations
Following the initial statement, JayH promptly denied the allegations, stating that he has not engaged in match-fixing or any related activities. He also expressed frustration at not being contacted for details regarding the investigation prior to the statement’s release.
“Hi, any VCL MYSG personnel, can contact me, please, I don’t matchfix and have never participated in any activity involving it. Also, before putting this statement out, I wasn’t informed about any ongoing investigation or verified anything on my end. (sic)”
It is worth noting that in other sports, allegations of match-fixing often lead to a complete suspension of the player. The provisional suspension JayH is facing is unconventional, as it implies that he is banned until proven innocent. Such allegations can have a lasting impact on a player’s reputation. As of now, details regarding the timing of the alleged match-fixing and JayH’s involvement remain unclear. It is essential for Riot Games to provide clarification once their investigation is concluded.
