A Valorant collegiate team was destroyed in a match after a sexist comment was made toward their opposing team’s coach.
Valorant has, historically, not housed the friendliest community towards women, or any marginalized groups of people. With many reports of women and people of color facing harassment in their ranked games over the years, it’s not always the most respectful place to play.
However, Riot has been taking steps to toxicity against sexism and racism in their games. From improving their reporting system, to funding VCT Game Changers to normalize women and other marginalized genders in esports, we’ve seen numerous steps in the right direction. Though, it is still a problem, even at the collegiate level.
During the group stage of the College Valorant 2023 West – Spring Tournament, in a match between the University of Utah Esports and Oxy White, a member of Oxy White made a sexist comment against the other team’s coach, sarcopels.
The player said, in one of Oxy White’s player’s streams, “no way their coach is a woman”, after getting beaten 13-5 on Fracture. Oxy White would then immediately go on to lose the next map, Lotus, in devastating 13-2 fashion.
University of Utah’s win meant the team qualified for the playoffs for the tournament, and Oxy White finished in the group stage.
Sarcopels seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed the win after seeing the comments made against them, mocking it and pointing out the player who made it went 1-14 in KD. Even making a short meme of the comment from the player’s stream to celebrate making the playoffs.
They said of the comment, “Anyways, this coach puts in more time into my team than a lot of people would and no amount of sexism is gonna stop me from putting in my all.” They continued, “get f***ed if you have an issue with me or my existence in this space.”
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