are considering not having Venezuelan jungler Eloy “
” Rodríguez for the 2027 season, according to information gathered by
Sheep Esports. The reason is the player’s difficulty obtaining visas, which concerns the organization, as it fears not being able to count on him for the biggest tournaments of the year.
According to sources, RED offered help to get around the problem, with support on documentation, all the bureaucracy involved and other matters related to the process. The proposal also included a salary reduction, however, and the conditions did not please STEPZ. With the situation at an impasse, RED has started looking at the market to explore new options for the position.
An issue that has already surfaced
The visa problem is not new. As
Sheep Esports previously reported, STEPZ could not travel with RED to the Demacia Cup Global Invitational in China because of problems with the issuance of his visa. The team, which had secured a spot in the Chinese tournament after being eliminated in CBLOL Split 2, needed a last-minute replacement, and the choice was Gabriel “
” Lemos.
In the organization’s view, the Demacia Cup episode showed the size of the risk of not being able to count on the Venezuelan in the main international competitions next season.
A rapid rise
STEPZ joined RED at the start of 2026 and quickly became one of the team’s standout players. Initially signed to join the
roster, the Venezuelan was promoted to the main lineup right after the CBLOL Cup.
With him in the jungle, RED finished CBLOL Split 1 in third place. The team also reached the final of the Esports World Cup South America qualifier, where it lost 3-0 to
.
In CBLOL Split 2, RED was eliminated by
3-2 in a five-game series and finished the tournament in
fourth place, which secured its spot at the Demacia Cup.
In China, with Aegis in the jungle, the team
opened by beating NAVI, but then lost to
and
, both 2-0, and was knocked out in Round 4 of the Swiss Stage after being swept by
, ending its run with one win and three losses.
