Why was C9 League of Legends midlaner EMENES fined $15,000 by the LCS?

Cloud9's midlaner Jang "EMENES" Min-soo broke a League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) rule by insulting another player via in-game chat. As EMENES used derogatory and offensive language, he must complete a professional education course before the 2024 season begins and pay a $15,000 fine.

Regarding League of Legends esports, this piece delves into the predicament of EMENES and the reasoning behind his penalty, providing insight into the entire scenario.

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C9's League of Legends midlaner EMENES is fined $15,000 by Riot Games and is required to complete an educational training course

Allegations were reported to Riot Games on September 15, 2023, concerning EMENES' conduct during a League of Legends matchmaking game. Consequently, the company launched an official investigation, and the chat log from the impacted game was extensively analyzed.

Using the in-game chat system, EMENES made derogatory statements toward another player. The reviewed logs showed this offense taking place. Notably, the other player didn't provoke these statements and didn't reply using the in-game chat system.

Several instances of behavioral misconduct deviating from a professional player's expected standards were identified upon reviewing the behavior logs of EMENES' reported matches. During the investigation, Riot also conducted a behavior check on his recent games, as it was discovered that he had received numerous reports from other players through the in-game reporting system.

However, while EMENES' case was being investigated, he provided a written statement to defend himself, which was considered by Riot Games, along with his public apology.

Riot evaluated all the factors of the situation before determining the suitable punishment to be administered. As EMENES is a rookie player and has not broken any rules in the past, Riot has decided to take an instructive approach to the penalty. The ruling is aimed at rectifying the repeated cases of misconduct noted during his participation in matchmaking games.

As a result, EMENES will be slapped with a $15,000 fine and must be aware that breaching any other Riot Games protocols may entail amplified consequences. In addition, he will be compelled to finish a specialized learning program that bestows advice on acceptable conduct in formal settings.

This course must be finished before the 2024 LCS competitive season begins or any other League of Legends tournament that EMENES plans to compete in.