Florida Mutineers SMG support Preston "Prestinni" Sanderson will not play for the team during the Call of Duty League Los Angeles homestand, because of "team approved personal reasons," the Mutineers announced Friday.
Prestinni, who helped lead Florida to an appearance in the final at the CDL Atlanta homestand with notable victories over the London Royal Ravens and Chicago Huntsmen, did not travel with the team for the homestand. In a social media post, Prestinni suggested the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, which has begun to hit multiple cities on the West Coast, was part of the the reason he's skipping the event.
"I'm not scared of the virus myself, Prestinni said on Twitter. "If I get it I'm fine but spreading it to friends and family, I'm not down for."
Prestinni also made several posts about his mental health late Thursday that were later deleted, with the exception of a post that said he's "been going through it lately" and does not feel like himself.
Maurice "Ferocitys" Henriquez will start in Prestinni's place, the Mutineers announced. He previously played for No Mercy Esports, a Call of Duty Challengers team.
Been going through it lately. Trynna be myself again.
— Preston (@Prestinni) March 5, 2020
Prestinni, while not a statistical monster at a 0.90 kills/deaths throughout the season so far, has been a steadying presence for a team built around up-and-coming talent. The former world champion with eUnited had one of the best tournaments of his life in his last outing that included a victory over his brother and former teammate Alec "Arcitys" Sanderson, which was one of the hallmark moments of the CDL so far.
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On Friday, the coronavirus eclipsed 100,000 cases worldwide. It has killed nearly 3,400 people, primarily in China, the epicenter of the outbreak, according to The Associated Press. More than half of those who contracted the virus have now recovered.
Concerns about the disease have caused cancellations of events across dozens of sports worldwide as well as questions as to whether this year's Tokyo Olympics will be affected. Gaming and esports have also felt the impact of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, though no Call of Duty events have been canceled.
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The Mutineers will play the No. 1 Atlanta FaZe in their opening match at the LA homestand at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday.