Last Friday at DreamHack, Ret played in a match on stream against NightEnd where he failed to live up to Liquid's standards of professionalism. Knowing that he had no chance of advancing out of his group, Ret played in a way that clearly showed he was not trying to win.
There has been a wide range of reactions, from those who say what Ret did was understandable from an emotional and personal perspective, and others expressing their outrage at his unprofessional behavior.
I understand why people sympathize with Ret, and I do as well. I know what kind of emotions players can go through in these tournaments and that not living up to your expectations can be very tough to deal with. However, Liquid is a professional team, and part of being a professional is not allowing your emotions to dictate your actions in certain situations.
When Ret agreed to participate at DreamHack, he signed up with knowledge of the format, and knowing that there was the possibility of playing matches without meaning. Professionals in traditional and electronic sports alike will often find themselves in those situations. For example, it is a standard part of the final weeks of any large league competition – be it football, basketball or Brood War's Proleague – where teams in the middle of the pack have nothing more to lose or gain.
For a variety of reasons, it can be hard for players to give full effort in those situations. However, it is a competitor's responsibility to respect the tournament, fans, team, and sponsors by showing professionalism and sportsmanship even in those situations. Unfortunately, Ret showed no intention of trying to win his match, falling far beneath what was expected of him as a professional. We apologize to DreamHack and Liquid fans for not giving them the matches they deserved, and to our sponsors for representing them poorly.
I understand that Ret's actions were not malicious, but they were still unacceptable. As a penalty, Ret will be suspended from the upcoming IPL5 tournament. I've talked to Ret about the situation and it is clear he fully understands the mistake he has made. He regrets what he did, and I appreciate that he took responsibility and posted a public apology within hours. Ret has always been a great member of our team, and I'm confident we'll see only the best from him in the future.
There has been a wide range of reactions, from those who say what Ret did was understandable from an emotional and personal perspective, and others expressing their outrage at his unprofessional behavior.
I understand why people sympathize with Ret, and I do as well. I know what kind of emotions players can go through in these tournaments and that not living up to your expectations can be very tough to deal with. However, Liquid is a professional team, and part of being a professional is not allowing your emotions to dictate your actions in certain situations.
When Ret agreed to participate at DreamHack, he signed up with knowledge of the format, and knowing that there was the possibility of playing matches without meaning. Professionals in traditional and electronic sports alike will often find themselves in those situations. For example, it is a standard part of the final weeks of any large league competition – be it football, basketball or Brood War's Proleague – where teams in the middle of the pack have nothing more to lose or gain.
For a variety of reasons, it can be hard for players to give full effort in those situations. However, it is a competitor's responsibility to respect the tournament, fans, team, and sponsors by showing professionalism and sportsmanship even in those situations. Unfortunately, Ret showed no intention of trying to win his match, falling far beneath what was expected of him as a professional. We apologize to DreamHack and Liquid fans for not giving them the matches they deserved, and to our sponsors for representing them poorly.
I understand that Ret's actions were not malicious, but they were still unacceptable. As a penalty, Ret will be suspended from the upcoming IPL5 tournament. I've talked to Ret about the situation and it is clear he fully understands the mistake he has made. He regrets what he did, and I appreciate that he took responsibility and posted a public apology within hours. Ret has always been a great member of our team, and I'm confident we'll see only the best from him in the future.
