TSM Leffen first had trouble getting in to the States way back in September of 2015, when he was denied entry in to the US for the Big House 5 competition. While TSM’s League of Legends players can apply for athlete visas due to progress made by Riot Games, players for smaller games like Super Smash Bros. often encounter difficulties when competing in other countries. Most players just say they are here for pleasure when visiting, but because of growing prize pools it makes more complicated for players of “smaller games” to gain entry.
Leffens Process was halted due to the following reasons:
Super Smash Bros Melee is a grassroots game and is not institutionalized. Super Smash Bros Melee is not considered a legitimate sport. There is no real ranking system other than a few non-legitimate websites.
In an official announcement, TSM had this to say:
For more information on TSM Leffen, be sure to follow his Twitter. We wish him the best of luck and will keep you updated as more on the situation develops.