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False-positive COVID results leave Valorant NA LCQ in shambles

Following the decision to have FaZe Clan play their match against Rise from outside the venue, the latter complained about having to use the suboptimal "LCS PCs."

By Andrés Aquino |

Page Updated October 14, 2021, 15:41 | First Published October 13, 2021, 20:22

False-positive COVID results leave Valorant NA LCQ in shambles

Update: Riot Games has confirmed the LCQ will be postponed due to "conflicting test results."

Original story:

The Valorant North American Last Chance Qualifier continues to suffer from external issues hampering the playing and viewing experience after two FaZe Clans members tested false positive for COVID-19, forcing the entire squad to play their match against Rise from outside the venue, which Rise found issue with.

Both Andrej "Babybay" Francisty and Corey Nigra produced positive COVID-19 tests, however, they both stated via social media several other tests confirmed their negative status.

I'm fully Vaccinated. I tested negative multiple days in a row. I tested positive and then negative 10 minutes after. Can't play on stage and have to quarantine? LA covid rules are different bro sheeeeeesh.
— FaZe babybay (@KING_BABYBAY) October 13, 2021

"It’s inevitable for people to get false positives with how many times we have to take the covid test. Literally just got my 2nd test back and it's negative," Corey added.

last chance qualifier — The NA LCQ continues to face external issues. (Picture: Riot Games)

The initial decision to delay the match didn't sit well with Rise players, as they believe FaZe getting to utilise state of the art PCs compared to the lacklustre setups provided by Riot at the LCQ venue would've been a huge disadvantage for them.

Nothing against faze boys but it’s kinda fucked , none of them are playing on stage and are able to go home on NASA pc’s while ONLY 4 members of rise are on stage on LCS pc’s?? (Only 2 faze members tested positive).
— Derrek (@DerrekOW) October 13, 2021

Preventing FaZe from making it to the LCQ venue despite their players testing negative for COVID multiple times involves the Los Angeles County health department, which demands they are stay in quarantine.

"Riot Games has done absolutely everything possible to make sure this is smooth sailing and have went [sic] above and beyond, unfortunately LA county has restrictions that make this whole thing chaos, sorry," FaZe member Shane "Rawkus" Flaherty explained.