$2 million in reparations – Hangzhou Spark demand compensation from Krystal

Cai “Krystal” Shilong was once hailed as one of China’s best up-and-comers in the Overwatch scene. That was before the advent of the GOATS meta and his conflict with Hangzhou Spark.

Last year Krystal and Hangzhou Spark were at the center of a public week-long feud between the player and the management. At the height of the conflict Hangzhou Spark published a list of issues including Krystal’s attitude during scrims, lack of professionalism, absence without leave and ignoring management among other grievances. In the end Spark indefinitely suspended Krystal in August 2019 before releasing him into free agency on June 19 this year.

Spark Communications pic.twitter.com/NAMxVnQyra

— Hangzhou Spark (@Hangzhou_Spark) June 19, 2020

Fresh start at Guangzhou Charge?

It did not take too long until another OWL team took interest in Krystal and on July 14 Guangzhou Charge announced that they signed him as a two-way player for their academy and main teams.

As a two-way player, we are giving Krystal a fresh start which we believe that everyone deserves, as well as an opportunity to prove himself as a committed professional and a good teammate.

We look forward to seeing what Krystal can do with this opportunity! （2/2）

— GuangzhouCharge (@GZCharge) July 14, 2020

Krystal himself took to Weibo in a statement in which he promised the fans a new reformed self as he had been “reflecting every day what would have happened if he had been a responsible player back then.” He also thanked his former team and his new team.

Hangzhou Spark demands reparations

Although the disgraced player seems ready to turn over a new page in his career, Hangzhou Spark are still seeking compensation for the past. Spark’s parent company Bilibili Esports filed a request for arbitration at the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission in which they reportedly demand a 15 million Yuan (roughly $2.2 million) compensation from the player.

Official: On June 15, Bilibili Esports filed a request for arbitration at the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, demanding that Krystal pays no less than 15 million RMB in reparation (~2.13 million USD) pic.twitter.com/r7aqe6jcft

— OW Beacon (@OWBeacon) July 14, 2020

As reports of Spark’s demands emerged Guangzhou Charge released a statement on the entire transfer on their offical Weibo. In it they clarified their position on the issue:

• Krystal was a free agent prior to his signing. The transfer is therefore in accord to league regulations without interfering with his prior terminated contract with Hangzhou Spark
• Guangzhou Charge is willing to give Krystal a second chance as he genuinely seems to have changed for the better.
• Guangzhou Charge will not be involved in the legal dispute between Krystal and Hangzhou Spark. That conflict has to be resolved by the two affected parties.

There has been no further statements released by either party and it remains to be seen if and when Krystal and Hangzhou Spark will resolve their outstanding differences.

Regardless of his legal troubles, Krystal returns to competitive Overwatch after almost a year of suspension and will have to prove himself in Guangzhou’s academy team Ignition One.

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Image Credit: Blizzard