After failing to qualify for VALORANT Champions Tour: Europe, Middle East and Africa Challengers Playoffs, Acend have further changed their 2021 VCT Champions winning roster by benching their long-tenured sentinel player Vladyslav “Kiles” Shvets. This comes after the team previously benched Santeri “BONECOLD” Sassi on the March 23.
After evaluating our ongoing path in Valorant, we have decided to move @Kiles71 to the bench. He remains under contract, but is free to explore other options. We want to express our deepest gratitude for his professionalism, excellence, and friendship.
— ACEND CLUB (@AcendClub) April 4, 2022
Aside from evaluating their “ongoing path in VALORANT,” Acend gave no specific reasons about the decision to bench Kiles. The player, however, released a statement focused on a hunger for victory and a desire to prove himself again to the world.
I'm benched from Acend, and i'm free to explore other options.
I'm extremely hungry to win and become the best once again, totally ready to proof myself to the world.Contact for enquiries: @SnoWWieBD
— Kiles (@Kiles71) April 4, 2022
Other professional VALORANT players, such as G2 Esports’ Oscar “mixwell” Cañellas Colocho, supported the well-liked player. Teammate Patryk “starxo” Kopczyński also went out of his way to remark on their strong friendship and how he will miss playing together.
Best friend inside and outside the game, very humble teammate and beautiful chica, i will miss u so much VL4dk0 @Kiles71 💔🥰 https://t.co/AV21CcxIMD pic.twitter.com/6wi3Q2ITfl
— KOI starxo (@starxo5) April 4, 2022
Kiles was part of the original Raise Your Edge roster that went on to sign with Acend as a whole, and he played throughout Acend’s long run of success in 2021 — including winning the first VALORANT world championship. As a versatile sentinel player, Kiles played a key part of the team’s ability to adapt to new strategies.
There is no official word about who will replace either BONECOLD or Kiles for Acend, but roster major roster moves will likely have to wait until the end of VCT Stage 1 Masters.
