COMPETITIVE RULING: MADELYN ‘MALIBU’ CAMPOS AND JAMES ‘SUMMERTIME’ EDWARDS

Jan 16, 2024

COMPETITIVE RULING: MADELYN ‘MALIBU’ CAMPOS AND JAMES ‘SUMMERTIME’ EDWARDS

TL;DR:

Madelyn ‘Malibu’ Campos (‘Madelyn’) breached the VCT Game Changers Ruleset and the Riot Games Terms of Services for providing false information, playing with another player’s account and circumventing a hardware ban imposed on her by the Riot Games Anti-Cheat team. Consequently, Madelyn is permanently banned from any association or affiliation with a team in any Riot-sanctioned competition, as of the day of publication of this ruling.

James ‘Summertime’ Edwards (‘Summer’) breached Art. 17.6 of the VCT Game Changers Ruleset for providing the Tournament Operator with a false picture of Madelyn, and attempting to assist her in providing false information during the AnyKey verification process. Consequently, Summer is banned from any association or affiliation with a team in a Riot-sanctioned competition for one (1) year, as of the day of publication of this ruling.

TIMELINE

During the VCT Game Changers Series III match between Noot Noot and Complexity GX3 (“the Match”), allegations were made that Noot Noot was cheating. Riot Games investigated these claims and confirmed that the integrity of the match had been compromised. As a result, Noot Noot received a match forfeit and was disqualified from the remainder of the competition. Riot Games opened an investigation into the matter, gathering further technical evidence from the Riot Games Anti-Cheat team, Competitive Operations team, and interviewing the members of team Noot Noot.

The below is a summary of Riot Games findings. While Riot Games considered all the facts and evidence available at its disposal, it refers only to what it considers necessary to explain its reasoning.

Prior to the Match, Madelyn had received multiple sanctions from Riot's Anti-Cheat team and was subject to an active hardware ban. Madelyn was aware of her standing and intentionally circumvented the hardware ban by participating in the tournament on a new computer and using another player's account.

Madelyn and Summer conspired to actively attempt to subvert competitive integrity processes to participate in Game Changers Series as follows:

• Summer offered to assist Madelyn with the eligibility verification process in providing false information to AnyKey;
• Acting alone in doing so, Madelyn provided false information during the AnyKey verification process; and,
• Summer selected and submitted an AI-generated picture (to represent Madelyn) to the Tournament Operator with Madelyn’s consent.

Riot Games did not identify any information indicating that any other members of team Noot Noot were aware of, or should have reasonably been aware of, Madelyn’s actions, specifically related to the hardware ban evasion and use of another player’s accounts.

In view of the above, Riot Games opened formal disciplinary proceedings against Madelyn and Summer, providing them with an opportunity to submit a statement. Neither responded.

No disciplinary proceedings were opened against the other members of team Noot Noot.

RELEVANT RULES

VALORANT players involved in Riot-sanctioned leagues must abide by the VALORANT Champions Tour Game Changers Rule Set (“VCT Game Changers Ruleset”), as well as Riot’s Terms of Service. In particular, the below provisions are relevant to the present case:

• Art. 17.2.7 (Ringing) of the VCT Game Changers Ruleset. Playing under another player’s account or Riot ID, or soliciting or inducing someone else to play under another player’s account or Riot ID, is prohibited.

• Art. 17.6 (False Information) of the VCT Game Changers Ruleset. Tax forms, registration forms, parental consents, and other documentation may be required at various times by the Tournament Operator. Team Personnel violates this Game Changers Competition Ruleset if [they] knowingly provide false or inaccurate information to the Tournament Operator. A Team may be subject to sanctions if the documentation is not completed to the standards set by the Tournament Operator.

• Art. 18.1 (4) of the VCT Game Changers Ruleset. Violations are subject to action, whether or not they were committed intentionally or as part of a joke, a stunt, or some form of social media performance.

• Art. 18.1 (5) of the VCT Game Changers Ruleset. Attempts to commit such offenses or infringements are also subject to sanction.

• Art. 7.1.7 (User Rules) of the Riot Games Terms of Services. Avoiding, bypassing, removing, deactivating, impairing, descrambling or otherwise circumventing any technological measure implemented by Riot or any third party to protect or control access to the Riot Services or any part thereof.

• Art. 7.1.14 (User Rules) of the Riot Games Terms of Services. Playing on another person’s account or otherwise engaging in activity intended to “boost” an account’s status or rank.

RULING

After conducting a thorough investigation over several months and providing the implicated players with the right to be heard, Riot Games found that Madelyn breached the following provisions:

• Art. 17.2.7 (Ringing) of the VCT Game Changers Ruleset and Art. 7.1.14 (User Rules) of the Riot Games Terms of Services for playing with another player’s account.
• Art. 17.6 (False Information) of the VCT Game Changers Ruleset for providing false information during the AnyKey verification process and consenting that a false picture of them be provided to the Tournament Operator.
• Art. 7.1.7 (User Rules) of the Riot Games Terms of Services for avoiding, bypassing, or otherwise circumventing a hardware ban imposed on them by the Riot Games Anti Cheat team, specifically by using another person’s account and using a different hardware to play.

Riot Games found that Summer breached Art. 17.6 (False Information) of the VCT Game Changers Ruleset for providing the Tournament Operator with a false picture of Madelyn and attempting to assist her in providing false information during the AnyKey verification process.

When passing its ruling, Riot Games took into consideration the specific circumstances of each case, the seriousness of the offenses committed, as well all aggravating and mitigating circumstances. The below summarizes Riot’s most relevant findings only.

When assessing Madelyn’s case, Riot Games considered that she had been subject to multiple sanctions imposed by Riot’s Anti-Cheat team, demonstrating a pattern of integrity related misconduct. Madelyn knew what actions to take to evade those measures, which clearly demonstrated malicious intent. Moreover, VCT Game Changers is a program designed to provide additional exposure and opportunities to women within VALORANT esports. The success of the program relies on the sincerity and good faith of its participants, and is in part safeguarded by the AnyKey verification process. By providing false information during the AnyKey verification process, Madelyn’s actions impacted the program at its core. Considered in its entirety, Madelyn’s behavior jeopardized the integrity of the match and the competition as whole, bringing into disrepute Riot Games and its affiliates. Her behavior also had a negative impact on her teammates and other tournament participants.

When assessing Summer’s case, Riot Games considered that, by contributing to Madelyn’s wrongdoing, their misconduct also affected the VCT Game Changers program at its core and demonstrated unprofessional behavior.

Due to the severe nature of the above described violations, Madelyn ‘Malibu’ Campos is permanently banned from any association or affiliation with a team in any Riot-sanctioned competition, as of the day of publication of this ruling. James ‘Summertime’ Edwards is banned from any association or affiliation with a team in a Riot-sanctioned competition for one (1) year, as of the day of publication of this ruling.