Demo article for the VCT Americas 2027 Open Ecosystem. Details are illustrative.
Game bans and Riot account issues
Bans on your Riot account, including Vanguard bans, are issued and managed by Riot, not by Battlefy or tournament admins. A player with a banned account cannot compete, and a tournament admin cannot lift the ban. If you believe your account was banned in error, submit a ticket to Riot Player Support. Our team can tell you where your case stands with the competition, but cannot see or change Riot account penalties.
Competition bans
Bans from VCT competition (for example, for conduct, account sharing or integrity violations) are separate from game bans. If your account or team is removed from a VCT Open Qualifier, you receive a written notice with the reason. Competition sanctions follow the Riot Games Esports Global Code of Conduct, and the notice explains whether and how the decision can be appealed.
What this means for your team
A team with a banned player must replace them following the roster rules before its next event.
Playing with a banned player, or with that player on another account, results in forfeiture and further sanctions for the team.