Since the announcement of the team that will represent South Korea at the
2026 Asian Games in
League of Legends, fans have debated the selection of many players in the roster. This was particularly the case for the jungler role, where
was selected for the national team for the first time.
This decision, indeed, indicates that
's jungler and three-time world champion
has been snubbed. Although the two players are often pitted against each other as the two best junglers in the world, many believed that Oner, given his recent performances and the titles he has won, was more deserving of reclaiming this spot.
The main person involved recently spoke in an interview given to
OSEN after his team's victory against
. He indicated that he had made the decision only a few hours after not appealing the KeSPA decision and that he had quickly informed his teammates and his agent about it. He also explains that they encouraged him to consider the option and think about it more, but not feeling comfortable with the objection process, he preferred not to contest the decision.
Regarding the choice of Canyon to represent the team, Oner adds that he is a very good player and as a Korean citizen, he will support him and the team for the competition. He had indicated that he thot he would answer this question if T1 fans asked him, but he felt that fans didn't dare to ask him for fear of upsetting him.
Now 23 years old, the jungler from T1 will potentially have another chance to represent his country in four years. The Asian Games are generally highly anticipated by Korean players and their fans. A victory in this competition indeed allows one to be exempt from military service and thus continue their career, which explains the fear of many fans of seeing a player of Oner's talent have to end his career for this reason.
