知名記者Jacob Wolf今(19)日爆料,台籍《英雄聯盟》輔助選手SwordArt在與北美TSM戰隊談約時因移民與稅務法令而遭遇瓶頸,他表示由於SwordArt名義上仍是中國公民,而中美之間並沒有稅務協議可供優惠,因此SwordArt在美收入很可能會被兩國連課兩次稅。另一方面,「大師兄」Doublelift又表示如果他新賽季無法跟外國頂級輔助選手搭配就考慮退役,因此對TSM來說如何解決SwordArt的合約問題不只影響戰力補強規劃,甚至是整體隊伍結構能否組成的嚴重問題。
Sources: Two separate deals between @TSM and @EvilGeniuses — one that would send @Lost_adc to @EvilGeniuses, and another for @Huni to join TSM, both agreed to verbally Monday night — may be in jeopardy as TSM's roster is uncertain, particularly around Doublelift's future.
— Jacob Wolf (@JacobWolf) November 19, 2020
台籍《英雄聯盟》輔助選手SwordArt近日被美記者爆料將前往北美老牌隊伍TSM,將以年薪多達八位數人民幣的價碼加盟隊伍,新賽季將與Doublelift搭檔。不過今日卻傳出變數,知名記者Jacob Wolf今日爆料,SwordArt與TSM的合約談判雖已接近完成,但卻在此關鍵時刻陷入瓶頸。Jacob Wolf表示,SwordArt「技術上來說」仍是中國公民,而中國與美國政府之間並沒有相關的稅務協定。因此SwordArt在美的收入將會被兩國政府兩次收稅,這讓雙方的談判陷入僵局。
Getting a visa for a Chinese citizen (Taiwan is still technically China, despite many Westerners recognizing otherwise) there being no tax treaty between the China-U.S. means that SwordArt would effectively be double taxed on his TSM earnings, if he were to sign. Rough. https://t.co/WXQdeycnG4
— Jacob Wolf (@JacobWolf) November 19, 2020
另一方面,Jacob Wolf表示TSM主力下路選手Doublelift向隊伍表示如果新賽季無法與外國頂級輔助搭檔的話他會考慮直接退役,這會讓TSM一口氣失去他們原本賴以取勝的中下兩路選手,也會讓他們原本打算簽下SwordArt與Huni兩名外援的隊伍補強計劃崩盤,因此對TSM來說SwordArt的簽約問題不只是補強層面的問題,更是整個隊伍結構組成的問題,因此非常重視。
Coming into America as a guest or tourist is different than making money from an American corporation. Even esports athletes from U.S. allies (Germany, Canada, etc.) still have to have P-1A internationally recognized athlete visas to enter.
— Jacob Wolf (@JacobWolf) November 19, 2020
Jacob Wolf在回應一位網友質疑時表示,SwordArt如果最終得以赴美,他將與來自德國、加拿大等其他國家的選手一樣持P1-A運動員簽證入境,不過根據美國在台協會網站資訊,台灣公民應仍可透過填寫I-129表格申請P類簽證入境並在美國工作。
Riot's view on the situation means actually nothing though. This has to do with how the U.S. State Department views it and my opinion does not matter.
— Jacob Wolf (@JacobWolf) November 19, 2020
I'm notably (scroll my timeline) pretty outspoken about how China treats Hong Kong and the Uighurs. What I think means nothing.
Jacob Wolf在回應一位在美工作的台灣網友時表示,這整件事與Riot Games無關,唯一有關的是美國政府如何看待台籍選手的國籍問題,而美國政府並沒有正式承認台灣為獨立主權國家,也因此將SwordArt視為中國籍,並依照中國選手的方式徵稅。但其下亦有網友翻找出美國國稅局對中國公民在美工作的稅務規定指出,美國國稅局是允許中國所得稅抵免的,因此認為Jacob Wolf這次的爆料不實,SwordArt不會被扣兩次稅。目前TSM、SwordArt皆未公開回應相關傳聞。