"I f****d up," admits League of Legends pro suspended for sexist comments

North American League of Legends team FlyQuest has suspended its top laner, Gabriel 'Bwipo' Rau, after he made remarks during a livestream that he admits "were ignorant and disrespectful to women." The Belgian will now miss the team's crucial LTA Regional Finals match against Vivo Keyd Stars.

Bwipo has been a staple of the League of Legends esports scene for many years, having previously had stints playing the MOBA at the highest level with Fnatic over in Europe and Team Liquid in North America. Currently playing for FlyQuest, the team has been in strong form this year, winning both Split 2 and Split 3 of the LTA North division. Now heading into its first series of the Regional Finals, it'll be without Bwipo.

During a livestream on September 9, Bwipo was discussing how, in his opinion, women may struggle to play competitive LoL at specific points in their menstrual cycles. "A lot of people, even men, that play this game just tilt out of their fucking minds when they're playing League of Legends," he says. "So when a woman is on the wrong part of the month to play competitively - there's a time of the month where you should not be fucking playing competitive games as a woman, in my opinion."

In a statement from September 9, FlyQuest confirms Bwipo's suspension from the next series, writing: "Recently, Bwipo made sexist comments that are antithetical to FlyQuest's core values. Every day, we try to make the gaming space better and that includes helping anyone with a passion for competition reach the highest possible levels of play." It also states that his prize money from the event will be donated to causes that support women in gaming.

Following his suspension, Bwipo has issued an apology. "Hi everyone, I know I fucked up," he writes. "My comments were ignorant and disrespectful to women, including those close to me. I'm sorry to those I hurt. I regret using my platform to fuel vitriol and sexism instead of support, and I'll be taking steps to reflect, listen, and do better."

Bwipo's comments have also drawn criticism from some prominent figures in the LoL esports community. Presenter Eefje 'Sjokz' Depoortere calls it a "crazy take" in a video on TikTok and "dangerous rhetoric" in a separate post on X.

"Women being unable to play games [competitively] due to their periods is as dumb and dangerous of a take as I've seen in a while," says LoL esports caster Isaac 'Azael' Cummings-Bentley.

@eefjeuh♬ original sound - eefjeuh

Judging by the phrasing of FlyQuest's statement, Bwipo should return to competitive action in the next round of the LTA Regional Finals. If FlyQuest wins its upcoming series against Vivo Keyd Stars, then its following match will be the grand final of the event.