League of Legends Pro League (LPL) organisation Top Esports (TES) has formally reported its jungler, Yang “naiyou“ Zijian, to the LPL Disciplinary Committee following an internal investigation into “unusual performance” during recent competitive fixtures. The inquiry was triggered on the evening of 2 March following the conclusion of the first leg of the LPL Split 1 playoffs, where the player’s unconventional in-game decisions drew widespread scrutiny from fans and analysts alike.
The investigation centres on a suspected violation of fair play principles and professional ethics. According to a statement released by the club, TES initiated an immediate review after identifying irregular behaviour during official matches. The findings have since been handed over to the league’s disciplinary department for formal adjudication.
“Our club consistently upholds the principle of fair play and firmly opposes all violations that undermine the integrity of competitions,” the organization stated. “We will take serious disciplinary action in accordance with the findings of the league’s investigation.”
See the entire statement, translated from Chinese, below:
Top Esports Club Announcement
On the evening of March 2, 2026, after the conclusion of the first leg of the tournament, an investigation was launched into jungler Yang Zijian (ID: naiyou) for his unusual performance during the match, which was suspected to violate the principles of competitive fairness. The incident was subsequently reported to the league.
A club investigation has revealed that Yang Zijian (ID: naiyou) is suspected of engaging in serious violations of the club’s rules and regulations, professional ethics, and unethical conduct that undermines the fairness of competitions. The club has reported the information it currently possesses to the league and handed the matter over to the league’s disciplinary department for investigation and handling. The League’s Disciplinary Committee has launched an investigation. We will take serious disciplinary action in accordance with the findings of the League’s investigation.
Our club consistently upholds the principle of fair play, firmly opposes all violations that undermine the integrity of competitions, and imposes strict and severe penalties for any internal breaches. Thanks to our fans, partners, and all sectors of society for their oversight. Taking this as a lesson, the club will stay true to its professional ethos and continue to build a compliant, healthy, and positive esports organization.
Should the LPL Disciplinary Committee find evidence of match-fixing or intentional underperformance, naiyou faces a potentially career-ending ban.
Also in China, last year the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) issued a five-year ban to Jinhui “Jim” Cao following a StarCraft II match-fixing scandal. Cao admitted to 21 violations, including inducing fellow player Xue “Firefly” Tao to deliberately underperform.
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