Riot Games is Reportedly Investigating TM Sentinel’s Recent Remarks and Will Arrive at A Decision in A Couple Weeks

• Riot Games is allegedly investigating Team Mahi's owner Manoj ‘Sentinel’ Kashyap's recent comments from his livestream.

• The team owner threatened viewers with sexual assault and made light of the Nirbhaya rape case which sparked a controversy within the Indian gaming community.

• He has apologised to his fans and has taken a step back from managerial roles in the organization since the incident.

Team Mahi’s owner Manoj ‘Sentinel’ Kashyap, made some unsavoury comments in one of his recent livestreams while discussing a recent incident involving a cheater who Riot Games banned. After his viewers brought up a recent cheating incident involving an ex-Paratroops player, Kashyap responded, stating that anyone bringing up the topic would be physically abused worse than ‘Nirbhaya,’ a victim of a 2012 gang rape and murder in Delhi. Indiatimes allegedly reached out to Riot Games and received an official response from the Valorant studio. Riot is reportedly investigating the matter and will come to a conclusion in the next couple of weeks. 

Riot Games’ Statement to Indiatimes on The Recent Incident

Riot Games reportedly told Indiatimes, “We at Riot Games, have a zero-tolerance policy against gender discrimination and abuse. We try our best to ensure the best possible player experience, and we are aware of incidents that happen within our communities.” The company allegedly also told the news outlet that it will come to a conclusion in the next couple of weeks. 

TM Sentinel’s Apology to His Audience

Following the incident, TM Sentinel apologised for this incident through a video on his YouTube channel. He stated, “the choice of words that I used clearly shows that I am not a compassionate human being, and I am truly sorry.” He has promised his fans that he will work on his streams and the language that is used and will try to prevent such disgraceful acts from happening again. He added, “People call me ‘anna’ which means ‘big brother,’ and I have clearly not behaved like one.”

Team Mahi’s Official Response to The Incident

After TM Sentinel’s apology video, Team Mahi released an official statement that it will undergo some organizational changes. The esports org revealed that it does not stand by the comments made by Sentinel and the owner’s remarks do not represent the values of Team Mahi. The owner has taken a step back from day-to-day operations and other commitments on behalf of the organization. TM Lalith has assumed responsibility for the foreseeable future for operations and management of the team, and the team is looking to move forward from the incident.

It remains to be seen how Riot Games proceeds with its investigation and what consequences lie ahead for TM Sentinel and his organization. The incident has seen widespread coverage on social media and news outlets. The Nirbhaya rape case referenced by Sentinel is one of the most horrifying crimes in India, and it should not have been made light of.