League of Legends professional Gabriël ‘Bwipo’ Rau has responded to backlash after he said that women shouldn’t compete in gaming while on their period.
On September 9, FlyQuest star Bwipo was plunged into hot water after making comments about women competing in League of Legends while on their period. The Belgian initially said “there’s just not enough support for female pro players” during “their monthly cycles.” However, it was his subsequent comments that sparked outrage.
“I think a lot of people, even men, get tilted out of their f**king minds when they play League of Legends. When a woman is on the wrong part of the month, for playing competitively — you know what I mean? There is a time of the month where you should not be playing competitive games as a woman, in my opinion,” he said back on September 2.
“This is my experience. I lived with one for a while, and she played a lot of League ranked. It was really obvious when she was getting super irritated at every little thing. I’m not trying to be sexist or anything, that’s just the way it was.”
Bwipo apologizes after FlyQuest suspension
Those resurfaced comments led to numerous women in esports hitting out at Bwipo, including Sjokz, who called her fellow Belgian’s comments “ignorant.”
Bwipo ultimately apologized for his comments on September 10. “Hi everyone, I know I f*cked up. My comments were ignorant and disrespectful to women, including those close to me,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“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 was suspended by FlyQuest for the comments. The organization also made a donation to organizations that benefit women in gaming with his prize money.
He will miss their next series in the LTA playoffs against Vivo Keyd Stars. However, there is no indication as to whether or not he’ll also face punishment from Riot Games and LTA.
