Competitive Ruling: C9 Hai

Riot·Oct 21, 2015·19 votes·95,225 views

FACTS

Cloud9’s Hai made an obscene gesture towards an opponent while on stage during the final day of Group Stages for the 2015 World Championship.

RELEVANT RULES

9.1.3 Disruptive Behavior / Insults.

A Team Member may not take any action or perform any gesture directed at an opposing Team Member, or incite any other individual(s) to do the same, which is insulting, mocking, disruptive, or antagonistic.

RULING

Hai has violated Section 9.1.3 of the World Championship ruleset and is subject to penalties.

COMPETITION PENALTIES

Hai is fined ‎€500.

CONTEXT

Pro players are expected to behave professionally and show good sportsmanship when competing at the World Championship.

224 Comments

Sfz TokenBlackGOct 21, 201534 votes

Riot probably meant to fine CLG guys its all good

Bloodhawk95Oct 21, 201532 votes

Shouldn't he be fined in his own country's currency though? And 500 euros for flipping the middle finger? That seems a bit excessive. Currency wise, that's $567 just for flicking off someone. That's just ridiculous

Trev DaddyOct 21, 201539 votes

People get fined tens of thousands of dollars in sports for this kind of stuff so 567 is really nothing compared to what it could have been.

rRaseOct 21, 201512 votes

Not in the majority of them. In sports like hockey and soccer ( in NA at the least) this stuff is normal.

Credd iTOct 21, 201533 votes

I love when people assume and make no bother to fact check.

http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2011/04/22/nhl-fines-andrew-ference-2500-for-middle-finger/

Heimer BotOct 21, 201511 votes

That one instance compared to the cursing, obscenities etc that go on daily in the NHL is nearly negligible. If you can watch a single playoff game without hearing an obscenity I'd be impressed.

Also, if you compare Hai's salary to his fine, and Ference's salary to his fine, the two ratios are ridiculous.

p0psiclesOct 21, 201516 votes

And the people who get fined $10,000 for those gestures in other sports are making millions of dollars (just in salary, not including endorsements). I don't know what Hai is making in salary from C9 but I would bet a lot of money that $567 is a much higher percent of his earnings than the fine most players in the major pro sports receive.

PatsienOct 21, 201523 votes

"You're right. We'll fine him in his own country's currency. Hai has been fined $567." - Riot

LanthrovielOct 21, 20157 votes

IIRC diamondprox was fined more than that after he flipped off on camera before Season 2 with M5. This is mostly to keep it fair.

RivehOct 21, 201530 votes

Contrary to popular belief, policies are policies and the company that made them has to enforce it. It may not seem like much, but it's STILL against the rules. While 500 euros is a bit steep for a one-time offense, i agree, it's not "rito being out of control". It's called doing their job.

tonzillacrayonOct 21, 20155 votes

so you dont blame any of hitlers nazis? why put any of those people in jail they were just doing their job. See how ignorance is bliss my friend?

Death VizierOct 21, 201524 votes

Worst argument I've ever heard. You're comparing a Moba game fine about being respectful to one of the worst humanitarian criminals in history. LOL

MourvinMadOct 21, 201512 votes

i agree LoL is the worst humanitarian crime in history #jokes

TrylobyteOct 21, 201529 votes

Tip: If you're going to flip off a competitor, make sure you don't do it on camera during the most broadcasted event in your game/sport.

Scorpion WrathOct 21, 20155 votes

http://gfycat.com/AlertFrayedChameleon

vrkiOct 21, 201512 votes

get the fuck out here dude, trash talk and gestures happens all the time in professional sports. riot should be less butthurt. this is the dumbest fine in the history of esports.

downvotes = proof the retards that GOBBLE this stupid shit up.

SquirrellyOtterOct 21, 201511 votes

Remember this is the company that banned Dunkey for trash-talking a feeding jackwagon.

DarthjawafettOct 21, 201539 votes

Trash talking is supposed to be in good fun. Telling someone they should be gunned down in the street is not in good fun.

Thë ChazzOct 21, 20154 votes

"good fun" requires conext. My friends and I flip eachother off all the time, hell my boss and I flip eachother off sometimes too. Most pro players are friends, Hai said it was in jest and it's not like Febiven took it hard or anything. the reciever should be offended before there can be an offence.

IssaOct 21, 201520 votes

Febiven is sitting there talking ish about C9 and they are just supposed to let that go? Psh

Death VizierOct 21, 201522 votes

ish? He got asked how C9 would fare and thats ish? lol Thats not trash talking, it's called criticizing/analyzing weakness. People call Riot and everyone else who took offense soft. Since when is flipping someone off in the real world a joke in any profession. You going to flip off a co-worker or a rival company for pointing out your companies weakness? Like it or not they are working when they play and represent their organizations. Setting a standard for "pro" players to act like asses on stage is not a future I want. Leave trolling and trash talk in the game not the real world. Grow up. Learn to take criticism and learn to use words other than cursing and hand gestures.

BuzanamiOct 21, 20152 votes

Feb was trying to stir shit up. What was Hai supposed to do, shout how hard Fnatic got penta'd. At least LOL hasen't gotten to the point where people are throwing fists at each other although I wouldn't be surprised if fans were. There's a difference between criticism and shit talking and Feb was definitely starting some shit. But I will agree that what Riot did was the right thing although its not only Hai who was out of line.

AA KazukaOct 21, 201510 votes

"I Think AHQ is gonna win, because uh C9's playstyle is really predictable and their drafting in a similar way every game, so I think they are definitely counterable and AHQ is the better team".

This is what he said word for word, which part is him: "trying to stir shit up"?

Leon EtoileOct 21, 20155 votes

only c9 fanboys see that as "trying to stir shit up". apparently, an opinion that disagrees with someone nowadays is doing that. why "pc" sayings are stupid.

TheSequelsRBadOct 22, 20154 votes

I am a C9 fanboy, and I don't think Febiven was doing any thing wrong. Not all C9 fanboys are hypersensitive idiots.

MildturtlOct 21, 20153 votes

Learn to get tougher skin and stop letting a hand gesture or expletives get to you. So many people turn into whining little dogs whenever there's a curse or a rude hand gesture. Let little crap like this bother you and you're just as bad as these kids that you tell to grow up.

MiriaJiyuuOct 21, 20157 votes

Go flip your teacher, fellow students, coworkers or boss off, whichever ones apply to you at least. See what happens. I dare you to try and make that argument in person and not get in trouble.

NO this is the real world where you conduct yourself like a professional and show respect to others, whether you want to or not, otherwise you pay the consequences.

Garden Of EdinOct 21, 201520 votes

Look, yeah it's a nuisance that Riot is fining Hai for just playfully flipping off Febiven for giving his opinion which sort of bashed C9. But guess what, they had these rules set in place for years, and plus this is a hugely followed game, so allowing something like that slide by would set a poor example for future cases of things like these. They can't be lenient just because it was a joke, yeah we all know it was in good fun, but still, he broke a rule regardless. item 3070

King AsgoreOct 21, 201514 votes

He should be thankful this isnt actual major sports or the fine would be waaayyy worse. If you're gonna take part in eSports then you gotta play by the handbook and rules. Flipping someone off for pointing out weaknesses and flaws isnt attacking or trash talking. Hai just handled it childishly

Heimer BotOct 21, 201510 votes

The fine isn't way worse in professional sports in comparison to their actual salaries. Say Hai is making ~100k between riot and C9, he got fined 0.5% of his annual salary.

Andrew Ference got fined $2500, his salary is $3.75mill is 0.06% of his salary. Not to mention the added benefits of being a real sports athlete compared to the LCS.

Only Play DariusOct 21, 201512 votes

Damn he got caught

OwO DaddeeOct 21, 201512 votes

I like this, shows that Riot doesn't want this to become something everyone does.

MarkantonianOct 21, 201511 votes

If it was Forg1ven for example, RITO will permaban & exile him, plus fine!

suiseimeiOct 21, 201510 votes

You're supposed to know the rules and follow them... Players disrespect off stage all the time and no one gets in trouble, but at least be professional onstage. When the game is over you can go flip each other off all you want. It's totally fair imo.

THENWH0WASPH0NEOct 21, 20151 votes

Great point! Only break the rules when no one's looking! 8D

Dirty PoulOct 22, 20158 votes

No, the point is that they represent Riot and is supposed to set an example. Imagine a little kid watching at home "if Hai is allowed to do it, then surely I can too" and then goes off flaming people online, which is essentially the same thing. If Hai and Febiven are friends, they can go home and flip each other off however they like. That's not the issue. The issue is that they are officials being paid here.

Death VizierOct 21, 201510 votes

Look a lot of you don't seem to understand this. As soon as you are PAYed to do something by a company you are no longer just a gamer. You are in a profession. You work and represent a company. Gaming is fun but it is a job for these guys. How many of you can go to work and flip someone, ANYONE off while you're at work and not have repercussions or even keep your jobs. Anyone? No, didn't think so. Get a job, go flip someone off in full view so you can experience what the real world.

ÓðinnV2Oct 21, 20158 votes

How is that any different from spamming team logos or Febiven being disrespectful on stage? Riot fines Riot for excessive and stupid fines.

LanthrovielOct 21, 201514 votes

How is answering a question disrespectful? Just because you didn't like the answer?

tonzillacrayonOct 21, 20153 votes

How is flipping him off disrespectful? Just because you don't think it was for fun

AA KazukaOct 21, 20158 votes

It's a pretty common disrespectful gesture. It doesn't mater if he did it for fun or not.

Mister StruggleOct 21, 20157 votes

So Riot says you can't flip off an opposing team member. FNC wasn't an opposing team.. they aren't even in the same group... why does he get fined?

Itzme69Oct 21, 20153 votes

Riot makes up the rules as they go. Kind of like their code.

AA KazukaOct 21, 20154 votes

These rules have been publicl online for a good year.

LanthrovielOct 21, 20156 votes

they aren't even in the same group

We didn't watch the same worlds?

DarthjawafettOct 21, 20157 votes

They were in the same group. group B FNC IG AHQ and C9

GotRektGGOct 21, 20156 votes

Can someone fill me in? What exactly did Hai do?

FableBlazeOct 21, 201520 votes

Flipped the middle finger towards Febiven, when Febiven said why he thinks that C9 will not win the tie-breaker match. Febivens reasoning was basically that C9 is predictible and has a single strategy. Hai didn't like that...

Death VizierOct 21, 20157 votes

Sjokz asked Febiven what he thought of C9's chances were of beating AHQ or something along those lines. Febiven replied that Cloud 9 only had one strategy and would be exposed. Bam Middle finger from Hai in the background while he's on stage.