After a game against the Japanese Rainbow Six team CAG Osaka, one of our Rainbow Six players, Lucas “DiasLucasBr” Dias, made a social media post that featured offensive and insensitive content. Lucas made a regrettable decision in the heat of the moment after a tough loss. He searched for an explosion GIF using generic keywords to express how his team "blew up" during their loss, and in choosing one that matched the intensity of his emotions, he failed to realize how the imagery connected to a painful moment in Japan's history. We believe that there was no malicious intent, only a very serious lapse in judgment and awareness. 

Immediately after the initial post, Lucas proactively apologized to the players from CAG Osaka for any offense he caused. The CAG Osaka players listened and accepted the apology with grace and understanding and expressed that they saw it as a mistake and not a deliberate insult. While that does not undo the harm this post caused, we believe it reflects the sincerity of Lucas’s mistake, as well as his remorse and character. If we found that Lucas had malicious, prejudiced intentions, we would remove him from the roster.

We hold ourselves and our players to a high professional standard and Lucas’s tweet fell short of that standard. This does not reflect who we are as people and as an organization, and it should not define Lucas as an individual in the public perception. We believe that individuals who show a willingness to learn from their mistakes deserve the opportunity to improve themselves, and we are committed to providing Lucas with the training necessary to grow as a person. An honest mistake should not be the end of someone’s career.

To the players of CAG Osaka, we want to offer our sincerest apologies for any offence you may have felt. We thank you for the cordial dialogue, your understanding and graceful handling of the situation. 

To our fans in Japan and the Japanese esports community, we fully understand how this post was disrespectful and hurtful to you. We want to express our sincere regrets and apology that we made you feel this way. We are aware that this moment has been painful for you, and that you have been disappointed with us. We want to reiterate our deep respect for the people of Japan and for their vibrant esports community, and we are fully committed to regaining the trust of the community through our actions as much as our words.

To our fans around the world, as Team Liquid is engaging with different communities and cultures, we cannot promise that we will never make mistakes. We promise, however, to take full accountability for our actions and rectify the mistakes we make. 

In that vein, we will be taking the following actions as a result of this event in order to prevent similar incidents in the future:

• Financial and Disciplinary Action
  As part of formal disciplinary measures, Lucas will be fined the equivalent of four months’ salary for failing to meet the standards of professionalism and care we set as an organization. Lucas will also undergo additional media and sensitivity training.
  
  
• Charitable Contribution
  The Rainbow Six players have committed to donating the entirety of their prize winnings from the Reload tournament to a charitable organization, as a gesture of accountability and goodwill. The funds from Lucas’s fine will be donated to a charitable organization as well.
• Global Player Education & Discipline
  Over the next six months, we will conduct mandatory re-training for all Team Liquid players and coaches across every game title. Lucas’s tweet will be added to our onboarding curriculum as a real-world case study to help prevent similar issues in the future.

However, due to the controversy generated by this incident, our automotive partner Honda Motors has made the decision not to renew our partnership. Although we regret this outcome, we understand and respect the decision, and extend our thanks to Honda Motors for having been good partners for 6 years. We remain grateful to our community, to our partners, and to those who have engaged with us constructively through this. Thank you for holding us to a high standard. We intend to meet it.