Sanford’s Very Long Walk Back to the Flag
Back in 2023, SIBOL came knocking. Team Liquid Philippines—then still marching under the Liquid ECHO banner—was gearing up for the World Esports Championship, and Sanford was on the shortlist. But between team schedules, scrim blocks, and the realities of pro play, the timelines didn’t line up. Sanford declined.
But commitments aren’t just personal in SIBOL, the national team in esports.
SIBOL’s general manager later framed the decision as a missed chance to “serve his country,” a reminder of how national duty works in this scene: if you say no today, the door might stay shut tomorrow. The consequence was firm and formal—a two-year ban from all SIBOL activities starting February 2023. No drama, no scandal, just policy kicking in with the force of multiple seasons.
KarlTzy, never one to sugarcoat, accidentally spilled the whole thing on stream in 2024
“Wala kami sa SIBOLguys kasi na-ban si Ford… Hindi [dahil] sa age. Na-ban siya kasi tinanggihan niya yung last offer sa kanya.”
In 2023, Sanford was invited by Sibol to participate in the national team alongside players from AP BREN to represent the country in the IESF. He declined, citing logistical reasons and ongoing tournaments.
SIBOL General Manager Jab Escutin told ALL-STAR in 2024: “Sanford Vinuya denied the privilege to serve his country solely based on the reason that his entire team (which lost the qualifier) was not selected to represent the country, saying that it will affect his team’s performance in the upcoming tournaments. We strongly advise individual athletes not to participate in the qualifiers if they only plan to serve their country if things go their way or have special conditions that hinders the opportunity of others to participate and serve the country. Because of that, yes, Sanford Vinuya is banned from participating in any Sibol activities,” Escutin added.
For two long years, there were no SIBOL call-ups, no national-team rumors. For someone who had already won big with Liquid ECHO, who knew the electricity of an MPL championship stage, being barred was more than a slap on the wrist.
It wasn’t because he played badly but because he made a choice. Loyalty to his team over loyalty to the flag. And the price wasn’t individual—it was collective. The entire squad stayed out of national-team contention. KarlTzy was admitting the domino effect.
Coming Back to SIBOL
Enter 2025. Sanford’s two-year ban had expired in February 2025. And finally, someone flipped the page on Sanford’s script, and SIBOL cracked its doors open again.
Now, Sanford and a largely unchanged roster since 2025 is representing the Philippines at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games where they are expected to win gold in MLBB espors.
Sanford’s refusal wasn’t a moral failing but a choice rooted in loyalty and logistics.
But national duty isn’t just symbolic. In the eyes of many, SIBOL overreacted, but representing the country isn’t just a gig. It comes with expectations and rules that don’t bend easily.
Lesson: If you’re called to represent something bigger than yourself, be ready for the standards that come with it.
Now, with 2025 stretching out like a blank slate and the SEA Games looming, Sanford is playing to rewrite a narrative that once painted him as the kid who said no. He’s playing to make the flag on his chest mean something again.
From “banned boy of SIBOL” to flag-bearing representative. From refusal in 2023 to resurrection in 2025.
If Sanford delivers, it’ll be a reminder that in Philippine esports, the real battles aren’t always on the map. Sometimes they’re between pride, principle, and the long road back to the colors you once lost.
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