On paper, Gumayusi’s situation at T1 looked untouchable. Across seven years with the organization, he went from rookie to one of the most feared bot laners in League of Legends, helping T1 reach four straight Worlds finals and winning three of them in a row.
The 2025 season ended with T1 lifting yet another Summoner’s Cup and Gumayusi taking home the Worlds 2025 Finals MVP, which usually guarantees job security for years.
So when T1 announced in November 2025 that his contract had expired and would not be renewed, the community reacted with shock. Korean and international reports noted that the separation came right after the title win, framing it as the close of a “golden chapter” that had defined modern T1.
Officially, it was presented as the end of a contract period rather than a messy breakup, but that did little to quiet speculation about what really pushed both sides toward a clean break.
Benchings, Internal Plans, And A Team Already Moving On
The first major crack showed earlier in 2025. Sources like EGamersWorld and other esports outlets reported that Gumayusi was temporarily replaced by rookie bot laner Smash during the season, a move that suggested the coaching staff and management were testing alternatives even before Worlds.
According to those reports, it took intervention from higher‑ups at T1 to return him to the starting lineup, and although the team went on to dominate internationally, the episode hinted at internal friction.
At the same time, transfer reports emerged saying T1 had secured Gen.G star Peyz on a bargain contract before fully resolving Gumayusi’s future, which made it easier for the organization to move on from a more expensive, established name.
From a business perspective, it fits a broader pattern. T1 had already seen top laner Zeus depart the previous year, and the legendary core that surrounded Faker was starting to shift as contracts ended and salaries climbed.
Bringing in a younger bot laner like Peyz allowed T1 to reset its budget and build toward another long cycle, even if it meant breaking up one of the most iconic bot lane duos the LCK had ever seen.
A Player’s Choice: New Identity, New Team, Same Ambition
Despite rumors that T1 pushed him out, Gumayusi has described his move as a deliberate step toward a new chapter.
In interviews after signing with Hanwha Life Esports, he talked about wanting to challenge himself again and hinted that staying at T1 forever might limit his growth, not because of drama, but because his role there had become too fixed.
He framed the transfer as a chance to redefine his identity rather than sit comfortably as Faker’s longtime partner and the automatic starting ADC.
The competitive context supports that view. By joining HLE, Gumayusi reunited with Zeus and stepped into a roster that clearly planned to build around him as a marquee piece.
Reports highlighted that HLE made a substantial offer and saw him as a stable, top‑tier presence who could anchor their late‑game fights and bring championship experience to a team still chasing its first Worlds title.
For fans, the emotional part is simple. An era at T1 ended sooner than anyone expected, not because the bot laner washed out, but because both sides decided that peak success was exactly the right moment to change course.
Gumayusi gets a fresh start, T1 gets a reset, and the story shifts from “why did this happen?” to “what will he do with this gamble?” the next time he walks on stage in a different jersey.
Donald Trump wasted little time in his second term, signing the WHO pullout order on day one back in January 2025. Fast forward a year, and the US Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the split, halting all funding and pulling staff as of late January 2026.
Trump pointed fingers at the agency’s handling of COVID-19, calling it a mess born in Wuhan that the WHO botched from the start.
This echoes his first-term push in 2020, when he accused the WHO of cozying up to China and hiding virus truths, only for Biden to yank it back on his first day in 2021.
Now, with Trump reelected, the move sticks, slashing about 20 percent of the WHO’s cash flow overnight. Critics like Dr. Tom Frieden from Resolve to Save Lives slammed it as America ducking global health leadership right when threats loom.
Supporters cheer the break, saying taxpayer dollars fueled a bloated outfit that picked politics over science. Trump’s team highlighted how China, with way more people, pays peanuts compared to US contributions, calling it a raw deal.
Cash Crunch and Power Plays
The executive order spells out gripes: WHO ignored reforms, bowed to member state pressure, and hit America with lopsided bills.
Trump revoked Biden’s global health plans and ordered a hunt for “credible” replacements to handle disease tracking without UN strings. The US owed around $260 million in back dues, but experts doubt it’ll pay up, leaving the WHO scrambling.
Donald Trump (Credit: BBC)
WHO brass expressed regret, stressing America’s founder status and key role in flu surveillance and outbreaks. Legal eagles note Congress set rules for exit, including notice and debts, but enforcement stays iffy. On Capitol Hill, voices split: some Republicans hail the cut, while others fret losing sway as China steps up.
This shakeup tests global ties. Pandemic treaty talks? The US sits out. Flu vaccine picks? Discussions are ongoing, but influence dips. Trump’s crew bets bilateral deals beat multilateral muddles.
Fallout Fears Grip Health World
Experts paint a grim picture without Uncle Sam at the table. Johns Hopkins public health pros warn US blind spots grow on bird flu or mpox spikes abroad. WHO loses brains and bucks for vaccine drives, Ebola fights, and even polio pushes that hit kids worldwide.
Yet Trump’s orbit pushes back, arguing America leads better solo or with picked allies, dodging what they see as corrupt bureaucracy. Sky News reports Trump griped, “Everybody rips off the United States,” framing it as wallet smarts.
Real talk hits home: the next outbreak ignores borders. Families recall COVID chaos; now questions swirl on alerts and cures sans WHO radar. Trump pivots to a beefed-up National Security Council for biosecurity, promising home-front shields first.
Health pros like Ashish Jha flag flu monitoring as a prime loss, where US experts shaped shots yearly. WHO eyes budget holes, maybe hiking fees on poorer nations.
Trump fans see freedom from “globalist” overreach; foes spy isolation that bites back. As 2026 unfolds, watch outbreaks test this gamble. Stay sharp on new US health feeds, folks; the world’s not pausing.
