Riot Games has disqualified veteran top laner Park “Summit” Woo-tae from the League of Legends: The Americas (LTA) North Promotion Tournament after determining that he breached the Esports Global Code of Conduct by watching his own VOD mid-match.

Competitive Ruling: Summit pic.twitter.com/fHKuDevZwg

— LTA North (@LTANorth) October 9, 2025

The decision follows a two-day investigation after Summit was caught on broadcast alt-tabbing to a YouTube replay of the very game he was competing in, during an extended pause in Estral Esports’ series against Disguised.

Riot’s Competitive Ruling

In its official statement, Riot confirmed that Summit had violated Article 4.3 of the Esports Global Code of Conduct, which defines cheating as “the use of any in- or out-of-game method, technique, or technology that affects the outcome of a game and gives a personal or team unfair advantage.”

As a result, Summit has been disqualified from the LTA North Promotion Tournament effective immediately, with Riot adding that a “comprehensive disciplinary ruling” will be released later through its Competitive Operations website.

While the disqualification only applies to the current tournament, future sanctions such as suspensions or fines could follow once the full report is published.

Estral Esports Appeals the Decision

Estral Esports quickly released a statement acknowledging that Summit did, in fact, open the stream during the lengthy pause, but defended their player, citing “an unsustainable situation” caused by server instability and poor on-site communication.

pic.twitter.com/kgC5LDXDyX

— Estral Esports (@EstralEsports__) October 7, 2025

According to the organisation, the match had already been delayed by over two hours due to repeated DDoS attacks and technical issues, leaving players waiting for more than five hours with no updates.

Estral has since filed a formal appeal, calling the ruling “disproportionate and overly severe” and urging Riot to adopt “a more humane standard in event management.”

Community Divided

The ruling has sparked heated debate across the League of Legends community. Many fans and analysts have argued that the punishment is justified, stressing that watching a live VOD of your own match is a clear violation of competitive integrity, regardless of intent.

Summit may not have done it in bad faith, but it is still against the rules and considered cheating. It’s a very light punishment. The fact that your org is trying to fight the ruling instead of accepting that one of your players cheated, looks bad for you.

— DShott (@DShottSup) October 7, 2025

Others sympathised with Estral’s frustrations about the event’s technical issues, suggesting that Riot’s handling of the situation contributed to the lapse in judgement.

What’s Next for Estral

Despite losing their starting top laner, Estral Esports is still eligible to compete in the LTA North Promotion Tournament. The team will continue with substitute player Alejandro “Shintalx” Quintanilla, a high-ranked solo queue player and content creator with limited professional experience.

Estral will face SDM Tigres in the lower bracket for a chance to stay alive in the tournament. A win would set up a match against Luminosity Gaming, while a loss would end their promotion hopes.

Meanwhile, Summit’s future in professional play remains uncertain. Once one of the LCS’s most respected top laners and the 2022 Spring Split MVP with Cloud9, this disqualification marks a major setback for a player with an otherwise impressive international career spanning the LCK, LPL, and LCS.

Riot is expected to publish its full disciplinary decision on competitiveops.riotgames.com in the coming days.

The post Summit Disqualified from LTA North After Watching His Own Match VOD During Pause appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Estral Esports’ top laner Park “Summit” Woo-tae has been suspended after being accused of cheating during the League of Legends LTA North Promotion Tournament against Disguised.

The former Team Liquid player was reportedly caught “ghosting”, watching part of the match broadcast or replay to gain extra information, during a long pause caused by server issues and DDoS attacks.

Update on the Promotion Tournament schedule: pic.twitter.com/W7k6k8G1nY

— LTA North (@LTANorth) October 7, 2025

Match halted by major delays

The best-of-five series between Estral and Disguised was stopped for more than two hours after Riot’s servers came under a DDoS attack, with Disguised leading 2–1. LTA North later confirmed that the match would resume on October 7 at 1 PM PT once the technical problems were resolved.

During the break, Summit appeared in the background of his teammate’s webcam feed seemingly reviewing earlier gameplay footage. Tournament rules forbid any form of communication or in-game review during a pause, no matter how long it lasts.

While the LTA didn’t cite a specific rule violation, it referenced the Esports Global Code of Conduct’s definition of cheating. Summit’s suspension is provisional while the investigation continues, and Estral will have to field a substitute for the rest of the series.

Competitive Update on the Promotion Tournament pic.twitter.com/yfamhqtRAV

— LTA North (@LTANorth) October 7, 2025

Estral defends Summit

Estral Esports released a statement calling the suspension “disproportionate and overly severe,” arguing that the situation stemmed from confusion rather than malicious intent.

pic.twitter.com/kgC5LDXDyX

— Estral Esports (@EstralEsports__) October 7, 2025

The organisation also criticised the handling of the match, noting that their players and staff were left waiting “for more than five hours without movement or solutions.” They have filed an official appeal and are urging organisers to adopt a “more human and understanding approach” to event management.

What’s at stake

The LTA North Promotion Tournament carries major consequences, as its winner secures a spot in the 2026 LCS. Disguised, owned by streamer Disguised Toast, are defending their guest slot, while Estral had fought through the Play-In stage after defeating Conviction.

The resumed match is expected to draw heavy attention as both teams look to secure their place in the upper bracket final against Luminosity Gaming — but the spotlight remains firmly on the outcome of the Summit investigation.

The post Estral’s Summit Suspended After Cheating Allegations Disrupt LTA Promotion Match appeared first on Shane the Gamer.