Last week, League of Legends icon Jian “Uzi” Zihao announced he is retiring due to health problems, which he said were brought on my professional gaming.
“I regret to tell everyone that I am retiring,” Uzi wrote on his Weibo account (via AFP). “Because of chronic stress, obesity, irregular diet, staying up late and other reasons, I was found to have Type-2 diabetes during a physical examination last year.” He is also suffering from a repetitive stress injury. Previously, there had been rumblings that Uzi was not going to play this season.
Uzi gave an interview on China Network Television regarding his decision.
In 2012 Uzi went pro, and he went on to become one of the greatest League of Legends players ever. According to his team, China’s Royal Never Give Up (RNG), Uzi’s injuries were brought on by over eight years of “high-intensity training.”
“In addition to doing everything we can to assist him in his future endeavors, we will also be by his side to help him on his journey to injury recovery,” RNG added. “We are here to help him recover 100 percent.”
League of Legends icon Lee Sang-hyeok, AKA “Faker,” released a video statement about Uzi’s retirement, expressing his initial surprise and offering support.
Fellow esports pros Clearlove and Meiko also offered well-wishes and support as Uzi enters the next stage in his life.
We wish Uzi the best and thank him for the years of excellent professional play!