Thorin blacklists Fnatic’s Bwipo amid ongoing League drama

The esports community witnessed a significant professional rift when analyst Duncan “Thorin” Shields imposed a permanent ban on Fnatic’s top laner Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau following their public disagreement. This incident represents one of the most notable personal conflicts in recent competitive gaming history.

Thorin implemented a strict no-invite policy across all his podcast platforms, effectively cutting professional ties with the professional League of Legends player. The decisive action stemmed from Bwipo’s public challenge to one of Thorin’s controversial takes during an episode of The Crack Down podcast.

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At the heart of the dispute were Thorin’s assertions regarding T1’s decision not to hire Nick “LS” De Cesare as head coach. The analyst maintained that LS’s sexual orientation represented the primary factor in the organization’s choice, claiming this was widely recognized within industry circles.

Thorin articulated his view that South Korea maintains a less inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals, suggesting this cultural context would prevent LS from receiving proper acceptance. He further connected this perspective to the harassment LS experienced recently, attributing it directly to homophobic attitudes.

Since Bwipo insisted on publicly siding with the liars I’ll do this publicly too. His name is added to the blacklist. You won’t see me appear in content with him.

Fuck anyone who appeases liars who aim to do the careers of me and my friends harm unjustly!

— Thorin (@Thorin)
November 20, 2020

The analyst expanded his critique to include allegations of systemic corruption within South Korean corporate structures, noting their tendency to identify scapegoats during controversies. In this instance, Thorin pointed to the dismissed Discord moderators who removed homophobic comments from T1’s server as examples of this pattern. A related video content was subsequently removed from YouTube platforms.

Bwipo, who participated in the original discussion, initially remained silent before carefully crafting his response. The professional player took deliberate time to formulate his position challenging Thorin’s broad characterization of Korean cultural attitudes.

The T1 fans telling you their fanbase didn’t know LS’s sexuality really have no respect for you or the truth at all. It is very well known in the Korean scene and has been for many years.

That’s how little they think of your intelligence.

— Thorin (@Thorin)
November 22, 2020

“I participated in a podcast discussion where certain assertions were presented that could be interpreted in specific ways. While I acknowledge my limited expertise on this subject matter and insufficient cultural understanding to properly debate these issues, I cannot in good conscience remain silent when confronted with sweeping generalizations about an entire culture expressed by others,” Bwipo elaborated in his TwitLonger post.

Bwipo stops fighting, but Thorin won’t let it go

Bwipo’s measured response provoked intense anger from Thorin, who accused the player of dishonesty and misrepresentation.

All Bwipo needed to do was maintain his position. Observe how accurately I assess character when you examine his subsequent statements. He wasn’t merely offering personal apologies but was actually evaluating my commentary on a subject about which he possesses no expertise in my primary language.

Not in my house.

— Thorin (@Thorin)
November 23, 2020

Bwipo published an additional statement shortly thereafter, posing critical questions about Thorin’s assertions.

“What evidence supports Thorin’s certainty that these particular fans hold negative attitudes toward LGBTQ+ individuals? Couldn’t these allegedly extreme supporters potentially have gay acquaintances or relatives? How can Thorin definitively determine their religious affiliations? Where is documentation confirming they adhere to ‘old-school Christian’ beliefs? How do these factors become relevant when we’re specifically examining this particular subgroup of supporters?” Bwipo articulated in his post.

Following his second extended Twitter post, Bwipo made the conscious decision to cease further public commentary on the situation. However, Thorin demonstrated unwillingness to disengage, continuing his social media attacks against Bwipo.

It’s deeply concerning how T1 essentially apologized to their own fanbase for employing someone whose sexual orientation they found objectionable. Correspondingly, those supporters deserve criticism for their unacceptable behavior.

ⓘ These claims are disputed by Bwipo

— Thorin (@Thorin)
November 23, 2020

The ongoing dispute shows no signs of imminent resolution, highlighting the challenges of cross-cultural understanding in global esports. Similar to mastering Weapons Unlock systems in games, navigating international esports controversies requires careful consideration of multiple perspectives.

This situation underscores the importance of cultural competence in global esports commentary. Industry professionals must balance strong opinions with respectful cultural representation, particularly when discussing regions with different social norms. The professional fallout demonstrates how personal conflicts can have lasting career implications in the tightly-knit esports ecosystem.

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There appears to be no clear path toward reconciliation in the foreseeable future, leaving the esports community divided on the appropriate handling of such sensitive cultural discussions.

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