Dota 2 pro embroiled in racism controversy

The Dota 2 DreamLeague Season 10 Minor has erupted in controversy.

During the pregame portion of a showdown between CompLexity Gaming and Royal Never Give Up, coL carry player Rolen Andrei Gabriel “Skem” Ong stated “Gl chingchong” in the game’s chat. RNG hosts a predominantly Chinese roster.

Though RNG did not respond to Skem’s message while various members of both coL and RNG were exchanging “glhf” chats, the incident happened live during the game’s broadcast. Videos and screen grabs quickly spread across social media, drawing widespread criticism from fans.

CompLexity was quick to address the controversy, denouncing Skem’s statement and adding that he would face a fine from the team for the transgression:

https://twitter.com/compLexity/status/1058049077357744128

https://twitter.com/compLexity/status/1058049265442926597

Following the series, Skem posted an apology of his own: “I’d like to apologize for the language I used today during the dreamleague match,” Skem said. “I understand that words have consequences and I have learned from my mistake. I am very sorry to anyone that was offended.”

Neither Dreamhack nor Royal Never Give Up have made a public statement on the issue.

Skem, 18, has been a member of coL since September. Prior to that, the Filipino player was a journeyman in the Southeast Asian scene, most notably playing for Geek Fam from 2017 to 2018. He has not previously had any known incidents similar to this during his professional Dota 2 career.

No exact figure for Skem’s potential fine was offered by the CompLexity organization. Given coL’s statement, a suspension from competition or release from the team seems unlikely. Unlike League of Legends developer Riot Games, Valve largely takes a hands-off approach to Dota 2’s professional community, meaning that the fine from CompLexity is likely to be the sole punishment Skem will receive.

coL lost its series versus RNG 2-1. The North American side will next face Infamous in the lower bracket.