paiN announces Xero's departure and promotes Von to Head Coach

announced on Wednesday (12) that Sin “Xero” Hyeok has stepped down as Head Coach of its League of Legends team. The coach leaves the organization after more than six years in charge of the coaching staff.

In a statement, paiN said the decision was not made suddenly or based solely on the team’s recent results. According to the organization, the change comes after an evaluation conducted over the past few years regarding its working methodology, the coaching staff’s approach, and the leadership profile it is seeking for the future of the project.

paiN also credited Xero with helping build and strengthen the team’s competitive identity throughout his tenure. The organization highlighted the consistency and structure developed over the years, as well as the coach’s involvement in player development and roster building.

The organization also thanked Xero for his time at the helm of the team and highlighted his commitment throughout different stages of the project, emphasizing the relationship built over the years.

Xero joined paiN in December 2019 and spent more than six years at the helm of the organization’s League of Legends team. During his tenure, the coach won two CBLOL titles, claiming the 2021 Split 1 and 2024 Split 2 championships.

In addition to those titles, Xero also finished as runner-up seven times during his time with the organization. He reached the finals of the 2020 Split 2, 2022 Split 1, 2022 Split 2, 2023 Split 1, 2023 Split 2, 2024 Split 2, and 2025 Split 2, the latter being played under the LTA Sul format.

With Xero’s departure, Gabriel “Von” Barbosa will take over as Head Coach of the League of Legends team for the remainder of the 2026 CBLOL Split 2. The coach, who was already part of the organization’s coaching staff, will now take over its leading role.

The change also keeps Matheus “Sarkis” Guimarães on the coaching staff. He will continue to serve as Assistant Coach alongside Von for the remainder of the 2026 season.