Success is Only Achieved if Players are Recognized Regardless of Nationality, There have been several major events in the European and American transfer period this year, in which a number of big-name players have gone out of the region, and some media believe that this is due to the “foreign aid restriction”, which should be abolished in the league.
Disadvantages of the Foreign Aid Restriction Rule
Perkz moved from the LEC to the LCS. This move set off a chain reaction that affected many of the top teams, including FNC and G2, and even affected the balance between the divisions. 2021 will also see some exciting games as a result of this move, which on the surface will have a positive impact on all leagues. But Riot should be grateful for the actual results of the off-season transfers, as one of their own rules — the foreign aid restriction rule — almost ruined the entire transfer period.
The Foreign Aid Restriction Never Actually Works
The foreign aid restriction was originally established with good intentions, but when the massive influx of Koreans to other districts began in 2014, Riot realized that the competitiveness of the local Korean districts could spiral out of control if left unchecked, and they wanted to maintain the integrity of each district by slowing down the rate at which some districts were buying players from the stronger districts.
At the same time, Riot also wanted to extend the time for foreign players to fully integrate into their districts, leaving them enough time to become citizens of the local districts. The problem is that the problem that Riot wants to solve has not been solved: the exodus of Korean players. Over the years, even with the best players joining the LPL, the LCK has done well overall, with three different teams winning world titles in the last six years, most recently DWG.
In the LPL, there are also players like Rookie and Doinb who are fully integrated into the new region and who not only speak excellent Chinese but have also helped their teams win world championships. Some foreign aiders have even started families in the region, completing the fairytale ending. The foreign aid restriction rule does not limit them from becoming the best and most popular players in the LPL.
Unfair Rule-Foreign Aid Restriction Rule
A few years ago, Riot recognized that the foreign aid rules needed to be adjusted, so they allowed anyone with permanent legal residency in the region to become a local player. The problem is that permanent legal status is not only subject to the rules of each region, but also quite difficult to obtain. As an example, the outgoing Trump increase in custom-made anti-immigrant policies has made it difficult for many foreign athletes to get visas, and there is a long history of racial discrimination against Asians when it comes to applying for permanent residency of the over-the-road kind, making the problem even more difficult. Riot should not subject his league and players to such a system.
League needs to evolve
Despite the obstacles placed by Riot, we are still seeing the freshness that foreign players bring to the table. Players like PowerOfEvil, Nisqy, Broken Blade, etc. are talented and have proven their worth to the LCS audience, unfortunately, they had to return to Europe due to foreign aid restrictions, a sign that the so-called “foreign aid protection” never really worked.
The 2021 season will be a must-watch season to see if the current foreign aid restriction rules really work. In 2020 we saw Vietnam’s SofM help the team reach the finals and compete against the already well-known Korean team for the title. So it’s not just traditional sports that have proven that it’s true when the people in their position can be recognized regardless of nationality or race.
We have evolved, and it’s time for Riot to catch up.
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