Cloud9's mid laner, Jang “EMENES” Min-soo, has been handed a $15,000 fine by Riot Games for making xenophobic and derogatory remarks during a League of Legends ranked match in September. The ruling, issued on October 3, comes just ahead of the highly anticipated World Championships, where Cloud9 is set to compete.

Cloud9's EMENES Fined $15,000 by Riot Games for Xenophobic Remarks

Riot Games, the governing body of professional League of Legends competitions, acted swiftly in response to EMENES' offensive comments. The punishment also includes a mandatory "educational training course on professionalism" that EMENES must complete before the 2024 LCS season begins.

The ruling stems from EMENES' breach of Section 14.3.3 on behavior and conduct, as determined by Riot's investigation. The comments, directed at European League streamer Spear_shot, were deemed not only offensive but also derogatory. Importantly, the investigation found that Spear_shot had not provoked EMENES in any way during the match.

Beyond the specific incident, Riot Games delved into EMENES' online behavior, uncovering multiple instances of "behavioral misconduct" that fell short of the professional standards expected in the League of Legends community. Social media posts made by the Cloud9 mid laner were also scrutinized in this evaluation.

EMENES did submit a statement during the disciplinary proceedings and issued a public apology via Twitter. These actions were taken into account by Riot when determining the appropriate course of action. Notably, this incident constitutes EMENES' first official offense according to Riot. However, his history of conduct issues spanning multiple seasons and regions prompted a stern warning from Riot Games regarding potential escalated penalties for any future violations.

This case is not without precedent. The article draws parallels to past instances where players faced suspensions for racist remarks. For instance, in 2014, Svenskeren received a three-match ban ahead of Worlds for using a derogatory name as his Summoner name. Similarly, OnFleek was banned for three matches in 2020 for a xenophobic statement made during a solo queue match.

As the esports world eagerly awaits the start of the World Championships, Cloud9 and EMENES have been in South Korea for a month preparing for the tournament. The Play-Ins are set to commence on October 10, with Cloud9 taking to the Rift for the Swiss stage on October 19.