Valorant player released for sexist comments banned from First Strike tournament

Earlier this week, Brazilian Valorant team Black Dragons announced that they were releasing Michel “foox” Felype from its roster after he made sexist comments in a video stream. Now, Riot Games has responded to foox’s actions as well. The organization has consequently banned foox from participating in the Valorant First Strike tournament, the first official Valorant tournament.

According to Riot Games’ Valorant Brazil site, the developer explained that foox violated Rule 5.3.4 for First Strike, as well as Valorant Community Code.

5.3.4 Discrimination and Defamation

Team members must not offend the dignity or integrity of a country, person or group of people through words or acts of contempt or actions of race, skin color, ethnicity, nation, social origin, gender, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, status, financial status, age, or any sexual orientation status.

Foox’s ban includes all of the tournament’s qualifiers as well, thereby barring him from even attempting to compete for experience.

One team’s fight against sexism in esports

Riot Games’ punishment came down swiftly after the Black Dragons’ announcement on October 18, in less than 48 hours. The Black Dragons explained that in a live video, foox made a sexist comment after losing to a women’s team. The team went on to say (excuse my very rough translation) that unfortunately, the team is well aware that foox is not the only male player to engage in sexist behavior. However, in this case, foox was caught on a live video with his comments. The Black Dragons want this to serve as an example to both the rest of the team as well as to all male gamers, that this behavior should not and will not be tolerated.

NOTA pic.twitter.com/hRgkIJB5Bt

— Black Dragons (@blackdragonsBR) October 19, 2020

The team additionally apologized to all women who experience this discrimination on a daily basis. They closed the announcement with praise for everything foox has done for the team. “We are grateful to foox for all the titles he won for us at Point Blank,” the notice reads. “We believe that people can always change and we hope that will happen with him.”

(Again, I apologize for the rough translation.)

So far, the Black Dragons have not announced who will take foox’s place on the roster. With the Open Qualifiers starting next week, they don’t have too long to wait.