Two top competitors faced disqualification at the Pokémon Latin America International Championships (LAIC), leaving their hopes shattered. The disqualifications occurred for different reasons on November 18.
Day two of LAIC showcased the highest level of play across TCG, VGC, and Pokémon Go, with only the best-performing players from the previous day advancing. Yuya Tada, a seasoned Japanese player, reached the top eight single-elimination bracket in the Scarlet and Violet VGC category. Tord Reklev, the defending LAIC champion, aimed for his fifth international title in the TCG category.
Unfortunately, both competitors had their day-two runs abruptly halted by disqualifications. One disqualification was due to a hack check, while the other was attributed to “pace of play.” This incident follows the disqualifications of multiple competitors at the 2023 World Championships in Yokohama, Japan, three months ago.
Tada’s disqualification occurred just before his top eight match, as announced by the VGC casters without providing further details. Tada later revealed that he failed the top-cut hack check, despite passing a previous hack check during the Swiss rounds. Seeking clarification, Tada requested a second hack check on his team via Twitter. A Pokémon dataminer identified several issues with the team, including the absence of HOME trackers, 508 EVs, and PP Max on all moves. However, some VGC players argued that traits like 508 EVs and PP Max do not definitively prove hacking and should not be used as concrete evidence.
The reasons behind Tada passing the first hack check but failing the subsequent one remain unclear.
Simultaneously, TCG champion Tord Reklev shared his disqualification experience, stating that judges deemed his pace of play “not good enough.” Throughout the event, Reklev received two match losses due to his alleged slow play, including a 13-minute turn. Reklev criticized the staff at LAIC for making questionable decisions over the years and expressed a desire for better communication from the judges before issuing match losses and disqualification. This unfortunate outcome dashed Reklev’s hopes of defending his LAIC title.
Despite their impressive performances, both Tada and Reklev were unable to continue their journey in the tournament due to these disqualifications.
Source: DOTESPORTS
