League of Legends titan T1 has has announced that current head coach Choi ‘Polt’ Seong-hun will be moving up to the position of general manager, while Bae ‘Bengi’ Seong-woong has taken the main team’s reigns as interim head coach for LoL Worlds 2022. The decision was delivered by CEO Joe Marsh via Twitter.
“I am thankful to Polt for everything that he has done as he was able to shine light on a dark time during Summer 2021”, Marsh writes, “and the team would not be where they are now without his efforts. The decision for the change is by no means a reflection of anything that he did or did not do, but more of a gut decision after extensive conversations within the organisation.”
The decision comes as pressure had been mounting on T1 in recent months, with the defeat to Gen.G in the LCK 2022 Summer Playoffs Final capping off a frustrating domestic run this split by its lofty standards. However, Marsh says that the result had “no bearing” on the decision, and that changes were coming no matter the outcome.
Fans had come out in protest against the organisation last month, sending trucks to the LCK’s LoL Park venue adorned with a message demanding Polt’s removal and the appointment of a Worlds-winning coach.
Well, with Polt now moving upstairs to oversee T1’s League program, the fans are getting their wish. Bengi, the man nicknamed ‘The Right Hand of God’ – a three-time Worlds champion – will now be leading the charge as the ‘god’ Bengi played alongside: Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok, as well as the rest of the T1 squad begin their preparations for the upcoming tournament.
“In the past few years I have seen Bengi grow as a coach and his knowledge will be invaluable to the team”, Marsh states. “Most importantly, his experiences, lessons, and approaches from playing under the greatest League of Legends coach of all time [Kim kkOma’ Jeong-gyun] during his run on SKT T1 will prove to be useful as he begins his journey as the interim head coach.”
Bengi will be flanked by existing main team coach Kim ‘Moment’ Ji-hwan, as well as the newly-appointed Kim ‘Sky’ Ha-neul who previously held the head coach position for T1 Academy.
