Fnatic has announced the removal of Sylvain ‘Veqaj’ Pattyn from Fnatic’s active Valorant roster following discussions with the player.
The news follows Veqaj’s absence from Fnatic’s victory over GIANTX due to a “health issue.” Assistant Coach Casper ‘Desmo’ Rasmussen stood in for the roster, helping the team to a 2-1 series victory.
Fnatic is now looking for a quick replacement, as VCT EMEA Stage 1 playoffs loom with a place at Masters London on the line, a home event for the London-headquartered organization.
Fnatic’s strong season interrupted by Veqaj benching
The organization announced the benching with Fnatic currently 4-0 in Group Omega of VCT EMEA Stage 1, guaranteeing a start in the Upper Bracket Semi-Finals of the playoffs.
Veqaj contributed to three of those wins, playing in victories against Eternal Fire, Vitality, and PCIFIC. The Frenchman especially starred in the team’s victory over Eternal Fire, putting up a 1.21 VLR-rated performance.
Veqaj’s form dipped in the latter two contests, prior to his initial absence from the roster against GIANTX due to an unspecified health issue, leaving PCIFIC as his last showing in VCT EMEA for the time being.
There is no official confirmation of whether the benching has any relation to that health issue, leaving fans with questions over the exact nature of the benching.
Valorant Team Director for Fnatic, Colin ‘CoJo’ Johnson, acknowledged those questions, stating, “I know people have questions, but I won’t be disclosing anything beyond what is public at this time. I appreciate everyone respecting his and our privacy.”
Veqaj receives appreciation from the Valorant community
Veqaj came into Fnatic with the hardest job in Valorant history, replacing Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov following his departure to Vitality.
With such tough circumstances, it is a testament to the player that many are celebrating Veqaj upon the news of his benching and praising his role in the roster.
Veqaj performed well individually in VCT EMEA Kickoff despite the team’s initial struggles, failing to qualify for Masters Santiago.
However, it was not individually where Veqaj shone the most. Replacing Chronicle individually would always be an impossible task; instead, the Frenchman played a facilitating and selfless role in the roster, which has shown strong progress in VCT EMEA Stage 1.
Fans also praised Veqaj for beiing a positive force in the roster, frequently seen smiling on the broadcast even after a tough round.
CoJo acknowledged the love Fnatic fans had for Veqaj in the roster, stating, “Was always going to be hard to replace Chron but you guys embraced him like a member of our family and I’m sad to have this happen.”
Fnatic, and IGL Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett specifically, will have to build up that synergy again with a new player at lightning-fast speed as they hope to guarantee their place at Valorant Masters London.
What are your thoughts on the benching? Let us know on our community Discord!
For more Valorant news, see the VCT EMEA Stage 2 Barcelona Finals Ticket Info.
Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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