As Stage 2 of the VCT Pacific approaches, Junho "Norman" Shin,
T1's
General Manager officially announced on Wednesday that Go "
Sylvan" Young-sup has been sidelined from the active roster. T1
VALORANT stated that it had offered Sylvan several transfer options so he could continue competing, but the player, who joined the Korean powerhouse last October, chose to remain with the team until the end of the 2025 season without participating in official matches.
This sidelining was confirmed on Thursday, June 26, but has been in effect since the end of Stage 1 in early May, as Sylvan did not take part in the Esports World Cup qualifiers held shortly after — he was replaced by Kang “DH” Dong-ho, promoted from the organization’s academy. The decision comes during a downturn for T1, despite a very strong start to the season. The team had achieved notable success during the previous offseason, right after Sylvan's arrival, with a win in the APAC qualifier for the Red Bull Home Ground, followed by a victory at the global LAN event in Berlin.
This momentum carried into the official season, with a grand final appearance at the VCT Pacific Kickoff, although T1 fell short against DRX with a 2-3 scoreline. Riding that same confidence and surprising many observers, the Korean Controller and his teammates went on to claim the trophy at
Masters Bangkok, the first international tournament of the year. However, the excitement didn’t last, and during Stage 1, T1 finished in 5th-6th place, far from their stellar early-season performances.
These results prompted the organization to make changes, including permanently bringing in DH to the main roster. It's worth noting that T1 also used Lee “carpe” Jae-hyeok, their sixth player, in several matches this year in Sylvan’s Controller role—further evidence that the team is still looking for the right solution in that position.
