Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere was not around for the start of LEC 2022. However, the LoL star returns this week as the host for the live broadcasts.
Eefije “Sjokz” Depoortere had been completely absent for the first few weeks of the League of Legends European Championship (LEC) in 2022. However, it was announced on Twitter on Thursday that the LEC star will finally return this week.
Although the LEC has been underway for several weeks, fans had previously been unable to catch a glimpse of a familiar face during the live English broadcasts: Sjokz. First she was out due to her mother’s funeral and a COVID illness. Then there were disagreements between her further collaboration with Riot Games. These now seem to be off the table.
On Twitter, both Sjokz and the LEC announced that the LoL star will be hosting the live broadcast this week. Apparently, the negotiations between the two parties have come to a satisfactory end. More specific circumstances surrounding the agreement are not known. However, the figurehead of the LEC is returning.
I’M BACK BABY LET’S GET IIIIIIT ❤️❤️❤️ LEC https://t.co/XCoe0OUJJ2
– Eefje Depoortere (@sjokz) February 10, 2022
Sjokz will be back on camera on Friday and Saturday to guide LoL fans through matches at the LEC. On Friday, Team BDS will kick off against Misfits Gaming from 6pm. For a whole four hours there will then be plenty of LoL spectacle with LEC star Sjokz.
Article from 28.01.2022
The League of Legends European Championship (LEC) has been back in play for a few weeks now. However, a well-known and very popular personality has been missing from the English live broadcast. On Thursday, LoL star Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere announced on Twitter that the LEC will have to do without her this weekend as well.
The LEC Spring Split kicked off on 14 January and numerous fans were expecting to see Sjokz host, as she has done in many instances in the past. However, an appearance by the LoL star has so far failed to materialise. For the first two weeks, Sjokz was absent due to her mother’s funeral and a COVID illness. However, according to her own tweet, she was already planning to return as a presenter in the third week of LEC.
Nevertheless, Sjokz will not return on Friday and Saturday either. As the Belgian wrote on Twitter on Thursday evening, she and her team have not yet been able to reach an agreement with Riot Games. However, she hopes to be back in front of the camera for the LEC as soon as possible.
I will not be hosting the LEC this week. My team and I have not yet found a mutually acceptable agreement with Riot. We are hopeful we can find common ground soon so I can appear back on the show.
– Eefje Depoortere (@sjokz) January 27, 2022
She also talks about the current situation in her (Instagram story). Because of the negotiations with Riot Games, she is accused of only being after money. However, Sjokz wants to get back as soon as possible because the LEC is her passion.
Sjokz has been an integral part of the top European league since its inception in 2013. Until 2019, the competition was still called the European League of Legends Championship Series (EU LCS). During this time, Sjokz has developed into a figurehead of the LEC, played a decisive role in shaping it and is not only a household name in the European scene. Depoortere also appeared every year at the prestigious World Championship in League of Legends. She worked either as a moderator or also as an interviewer.
