Controversial Street Fighter player ‘Infiltration’ banned from tournaments
If you can get good at ’em – and I mean really, really, really good at ’em – then there’s celebrity status to be found in playing fighting games. Not to mention a decent chunk of prize moolah. For better or worse, many gamers hold Super Smash Bros. champions up on a pedestal, as an example (which makes the fall all the harder when they do or say something that whips the pedestal out from underneath them). The same holds true for the Street Fighter series; this classic franchise has tournaments held in its name the world over, and has developed its own band of dedicated, thumb-throbbing, blister-forming professional players who would more than likely smoke the average combatant.
One such devotee is Seon-woo “Infiltration” Lee, from South Korea, who’s made quite the name for himself, being highly accomplished in a host of titles including Street Fighter x Tekken, Street Fighter V, Samurai Shodown, and Guilty Gear Strive. Turns out, however, that being a household name doesn’t render you immune to bending the flippin’ rules. Funny, that.
Evo-h, no
Yes, as Kotaku reports, Lee has now been barred from high-profile tournaments following a string of ‘code of conduct breaches’. “Evo and Combo Breaker (arguably the second most important grassroots tournament in the fighting game community) contacted Lee via email to inform him he will not be allowed to compete at their events,” states the report. Apparently, the companies cited misconduct on Lee’s part, but did not elaborate and offered to refund his registration fees. Small mercies.
Evo general manager Rick Thiher “explained that the event is committed to fostering a safe environment for our players and fans, and that the organizers require competitors and attendees to work together with Evo to build a supportive community that treats one another with respect and dignity.” If you care to read between the lines, it’s possible this means Lee has had complaints levelled at him from some of the attendees. Is it just me, or is this giving anyone else serious deja vu for a related series of incidents in the Smash community? I’m sure there’s no correlation.
This expectation, Thiher continues, “is shared by other events like Combo Breaker, Community Effort Orlando, East Coast Throwdown, and the Intercontinental Fight Club, all of which have also banned Lee.” He’s not doing too well for himself, in other words. Thiher concludes: “Evo will not be discussing individual enforcement decisions publicly, but will be taking necessary action to uphold our code of conduct and create a welcoming environment at Evo competitions. These efforts are vital for the future of Evo, and the experience we strive to create for our community.”
Seon-woopsie-daisy
Lee has not exactly had a clean rap sheet prior to this, it should be noted. Per the report, in 2018 he was “credibly” accused of persistent domestic violence by his wife; in recent years he has conspired with other tournament contenders to “defraud” major events; and he has been known to hurl strings of expletives at fans and sponsors alike who dare to question any of his behaviour on Twitch and other platforms. Likewise, he lately made a stink for arguing, at length, why he should be allowed to “use the N word” without fear of retribution, particularly when “addressing black players.” I don’t think we need to get into that one, but suffice it to say that’s a wee bit bonkers.
We may not know the true nature of Lee’s transgressions yet, but we can probably paint a fairly vivid picture given his history and based on the official statements. If he’s truly mucking about behind the scenes once again, then quite rightly he should be punted out onto his arse; and maybe let’s not welcome him back for the umpteenth time afterward, eh lads? Not to sway from my spotless journalistic impartiality, of course.
What’s your take on all this? How do you judge Lee’s character? Let us know!
Via, Kotaku.
