Peace will be removed immediately from the LCO ahead of Split 1 Stage 2’s start, with the league now looking for a new permanent team.
Peace have been kicked out of the LCO for the remainder of the 2023 season, with the league on the lookout for a new team to fill the now-vacant eighth slot for the rest of the year.
The league will continue on in a seven-team format from Split 1 Stage 2 until Riot and LCO league admins find a new squad to replace them.
In a February 25 statement, Riot confirmed Peace’s expulsion from the league was due to their failure to field a roster for the first two weeks of Split 1 Stage 1, plus the failure to pay players in a timely manner despite numerous warnings.
This ends Peace’s almost three-year stint with the LCO. The organisation entered the league in 2021, then acquiring Avant Gaming’s slot in the Oceanic competition.
Dire Wolves, who were set to play Peace in the first game of the next stage, will receive a forfeit win and move onto Round 2 of group play.
Peace will also forfeit their Stage 2 lower bracket match against the loser of the Pentanet versus Mammoth opening series.
The squad’s 1-6 record from Split 1 Stage 1 will remain, however — meaning The Chiefs’ loss to the team in week three will remain on record.
Peace failed to submit valid documentation for players’ right to work back in January, delaying the squad’s involvement in week one of Split 1.
Their woes continued into the Super Week, with Peace finally submitting correct documentation ahead of their week three matches against Chiefs and Dire Wolves.
A replacement team is not expected to enter the LCO until Split 2 at the earliest.