The Overwatch League is taking disciplinary action against four different league members at once due to various violations that include offensive behavior and account sharing.
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Blizzard’s actions against this group of players is the newest wave of punishments being doled out to players and coaches just months after the Overwatch League began. Some of these players had already been punished in the past and are once again having their names in the headlines for reasons other than dominating the League.
Dallas Fuel player Timo “Taimou” Kettunen was the first player mentioned in Blizzard’s report on the disciplinary action, a player who’s being fined for using an offensive slurs. Kettunen reportedly used anti-gay slurs months ago on his personal stream is being fined $1000 for the offense.
The second punishment being levied against an Overwatch League member is less severe than the rest by coming in the form of a formal warning. Tae-yeong “TaiRong” Kim is the coach for the Houston Outlaws and is in trouble for an offensive meme that he used. The meme that’s since been deleted referenced nuclear weapons being used against Japan, a meme that Kim has since apologized for while announcing that he’d be donating $1000 to the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, an action that Blizzard says weighed into its decision.
“After the incident, TaiRong issued an unprompted public apology, and made a donation to the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, actions which were taken into account when determining the judgment against him,” the report read.
Third is Ted “Silkthread” Wang from the Los Angeles Valiant team. Wang is being fined $1000 for account sharing, a problem that’s not at all limited to Overwatch but has been a punishable offense in other games for quite a while.
Last on the list of disciplinary actions is Felix “xQc” Lengyel, the second player in the group of four that comes from the Dallas Fuel. If that name sounds familiar, it’s likely because he made headlines back in January when he was suspended for using slurs on-stream. Lengyel received the most sever punishment out all the four for using an emote in a “racially disparaging manner” on social media and on the League’s stream. The player is being fined $4000 and will have to sit out the next four games with his suspension starting on March 12. The Overwatch League announcement referenced Lengyel’s previous behavior before posting a sweeping reminder and warning to Overwatch League members.
“It is unacceptable for members of the Overwatch League to use or distribute hateful, racist, or discriminatory speech or memes,” the announcement read. “It is important for all members to be aware of the impact their speech may have on others. The overwhelming majority of Overwatch League players and staff are taking full advantage of the opportunity to play in the first major global, city-based esports league, and are rising to meet the occasion as the public figures that they are. We are committed to building a community around the Overwatch League that is welcoming and inclusive for all players and fans, and we hope that these disciplinary actions demonstrate our seriousness in that endeavor.”
