Gaimin Gladiators reprimands Quinn for xenophobic comment during Dota 2 game

Gaimin Gladiators reprimands Quinn for xenophobic comment during Dota 2 game

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that I am disheartened by the recent incident involving Dota 2 player Quinn “Quinn” Callahan. While I have seen my fair share of toxicity and heated exchanges during games, the xenophobic comment made by Quinn was unacceptable and goes beyond the usual banter found in the gaming community.


Quinn’s comments during a ranked game of Dota 2 have drawn the ire of the community, and Gaimin Gladiators have been forced to act.

The esports team, Gaimin Gladiators, has released a statement criticizing the behavior of player Quinn “Quinn” Callahan following the revelation that he made a discriminatory remark in a Dota 2 match the day prior.

In the heat of an October 15th Dota match, I found myself embroiled in a tense exchange with a teammate. The situation escalated when he mistakenly believed I hailed from Russia, and went so far as to call my birthplace a ‘trash country.’ This comment, unfortunately, was not taken lightly.

In a heated moment during the game, I might have blurted out something like, “I suppose you hail from Russia, but let’s remember, your birthplace isn’t to blame for its flaws.” The video clip, shared on Reddit, went on, with the player in question clarifying that he wasn’t actually Russian, but Kazakhstani – a fact that interestingly aligns him with one of my Gaimin teammates, Alimzhan “watson” Islambekov.

As the game concluded, they kept arguing back and forth with no clear winner apparent. Yet, the Dota community exploded with reactions. Within the next 24 hours, their organization intervened.

Gaimin issues statement addressing Quinn’s pub Dota antics

Gaimin Gladiators reprimands Quinn for xenophobic comment during Dota 2 game

On October 16th, the organization responded to Quinn’s remarks, asserting they strictly prohibit any kind of discrimination and that the mid-laner had received a formal warning for his comment.

During intense competitions, it’s understandable that feelings may escalate. However, we think Quinn’s comment was not aimed at the entire Russian populace and was misunderstood. Regardless, Gaimin Gladiators maintain that there should be no room for offensive remarks in esports, targeting any particular group.

It was added that “appropriate measures” were being taken to ensure Quinn would not make such a comment again. These measures were not shared, and it’s not known just how Quinn has been punished.

On October 17th, at 4:32 am Pacific Time, Quinn released a public apology for his past behavior on Twitter. He acknowledged that he is still evolving and making efforts to reduce harmful comments he makes in public spaces.

He admitted that in the heat of the moment, he drew a broad conclusion based on a poor experience at a bar game, and he is sorry for that, expressing his remorse.

The original story continues below.

There was some puzzlement among people about why Gaimin scolded Quinn for his casual remark, as it turned out that the organization Quinn is associated with is backed by Winline, a Russian betting firm established in 2009 and partnered with Gaimin in 2023.

Dota community reacts to Quinn’s toxic behavior: “So absurdly tame”

Among those who found his comments displeasing, several were exasperated because GamersZero’s alleged zero-tolerance policy seemed to result in only a light reprimand for the mid-laner. One commentator stated, “If this truly was a ‘zero-tolerance’ policy, he would have been expelled from the team, as his actions appeared to condone discrimination against Russians during a public match.

Many found it surprising that a statement was necessary, considering the remark was quite mild compared to other controversial comments made by professionals regarding Russia in the past. One spectator commented, “It’s amazing that such a tame comment required a response, just ordinary Dota chatter.

On several occasions, Quinn’s actions have led to dramatic situations as a result of his toxic conduct. For instance, in a pub match back in 2023, he found himself in trouble for unacceptable behavior. After acknowledging his mistake, he expressed regret and pledged to work on bettering himself, considering his prominent role as a leading Dota 2 player.

This week, Quinn and the Gaimin Gladiators make a comeback to the Dota server for the BetBoom Dacha Belgrade 2024 event. Interestingly, their first challenge will be against the Russian-owned L1GA Team in the initial round-robin encounter.

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2024-10-17 17:40

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