North American esports organisation Dignitas has formally traded its mid laner Kim ‘Keine‘ Joon-cheol to South American crew Isurus Gaming.
The Korean participant will likely be competing below Isurus’ banner for the upcoming LTA South Promotion match, the place Isurus will likely be preventing to take care of a spot within the league for the 2026 season.
In keeping with the International Contract Database (GCD), the participant’s contract runs till November 2026. It’s price noting that Dignitas had initially prompt that Keine’s presence is solely for the Promotion Event.
With Keine becoming a member of, Isurus has departed with the Mexican participant Francisco Rubén ‘Leza‘ Jara Barragán. The roster Isurus will likely be fielding within the upcoming Promotion match will include:
- Prime: Zamudo
- Jungle: Josedeodo
- Mid: Keine
- ADC: Snaker
- Assist: Ackerman
That is the second roster change Isurus has made this cut up. Earlier in August, Zamudo was loaned by LTA North crew LYON after the latter struggled to get the visa to compete within the northern convention.
Keine is especially identified for competing within the LCK again in 2020 with APK Prince. Over the previous years, the Korean mid moved to Latin America, competing for XTEN Esports, INFINITY, and Movistar R7, the place he represented the area at Worlds in 2024. Initially of this season, he joined Dignitas, however the crew struggled with outcomes, constantly ending within the backside half of the standings in all three LTA splits.
Isurus’ determination to usher in Keine at this cut-off date has sparked main controversy throughout the scene, with some involved in regards to the aggressive integrity of the Promotion match.
“It’s absurd that Riot permits these adjustments,” mentioned Luís Santana, Producer at FURIA, on a put up on X.
Previous to the official announcement, Santana had already referred to as out the commerce: “If it occurred throughout the LTA South, high quality, however after the championship is already over and simply to attempt to maintain on to their spot? It’s weird. And tier 2 groups can’t even change their rosters anymore.”
Whereas most nonetheless suppose there are equity considerations in regards to the roster transfer, Chris ‘chrisyong’ Yong, Normal Supervisor at Disguised (DSG), a LTA crew that has to compete for survival within the North promotion match, famous that the transfer may need complied with the principles.
When requested whether or not DSG would’ve been capable of make an analogous transfer to Isurus’, Yong defined: “We can’t, the Keine commerce was seemingly made proper after their season ended, which was like a day or 2 earlier than the official deadline of roster adjustments. [It’s] most likely only a late announcement.”
The LTA South Promotion match will kick off on September twenty fifth, that includes Isurus and the highest two groups from the Liga Regional Sur (LRS) and the Circuito Desafiante (CD). Solely the winner will be capable to participate in subsequent yr’s 2026 LTA South.
