Paper Rex’s Jinggg makes surprise return to Valorant pro play

Paper Rex have announced Wang ‘Jinggg’ Jie’s return to the starting lineup as the Valorant star was exempted from his mandatory military service due to a medical condition.

Jinggg is returning to the Paper Rex starting lineup after the organization placed third at VCT Masters Madrid. The player signed to replace him while he completed his mandatory military service, Cahya ‘Monyet’ Nugraha, has been moved to the bench.

The VCT Pacific organization revealed in late 2023 that Jinggg would need to complete his military service and be moved to the team’s bench for the 2024 season. The idea at the time was to get his service out of the way as soon as possible in his career so he could return to professional Valorant quickly.

However, the player has returned faster than most anticipated. After going through a medical examination for his service Jingg was deemed “medically unfit for military service,” according to Paper Rex’s announcement.

“Paper Rex has determined that his medical condition does not affect his ability to compete at the highest levels of esports. Jinggg’s medical condition is a personal and private matter, therefore, Paper Rex and Jinggg’s family request that the public respect his privacy in this regard. Jinggg has remained signed to Paper Rex as a reserve player throughout this time. With the recent developments, we have signed a contract extension until the end of 2026,” Paper Rex said.

While Paper Rex managed to place in the top three in Madrid, the tournament was still a disappointment for the team. The event marked the fifth time it had finished in the top four at an international LAN since 2022 and comes on the heels of its second-place finish at Valorant Champions 2023.

VCT Pacific has yet to claim a Masters or Champions trophy in Valorant, despite Paper Rex coming close multiple times in the past.

Fans will be able to see Jinggg back in action with Paper Rex when the first split of VCT Pacific kicks off on April 6.