To the VALORANT and Team Liquid Communities,

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After a period of careful consideration, we would like to confirm that Team Liquid has made the decision to sign Kamil 'kamo' Frąckowiak to our VCT roster for next year. Many of you are likely wondering about this decision considering kamo’s past. I would like to share some of my thoughts on his situation, our process in making this decision, and why I am personally supportive of him joining Team Liquid today. 

First and foremost, I want to mention that we have kamo’s full support in making this statement. Despite his feelings of shame and regret, he understands that the only way to atone for his past mistakes is to continue to acknowledge them, and accept that it is part of his history. While it may hurt his pride for fans to keep talking about his transgressions, he is willing to face criticism for as long as it takes to prove he has grown as a person.

For those who are unaware of what this is about, here is a link to an article that describes what happened. While kamo was 16 at the time, what he did was deeply harmful and wrong. Team Liquid does not tolerate any form of racism, coercion, or discrimination, and we believe that it’s essential to acknowledge the real harm caused by his actions.

In today’s world, it is easy for young people to double down and sink further into their extreme beliefs, to deny wrongdoing and cling to a twisted worldview. Kamo could have followed this self-destructive path. Instead, he sought help, and that is why I believe that while there was a time and a place for judgment, we are now in a time and place where redemption is possible.

In the two and a half years since the incident, kamo has quietly been working on himself. He committed himself to therapy, where he has completed a significant number of sessions while keeping it a regular part of his routine. He is an active volunteer for a Polish NGO called “Never Again”, an association that campaigns against racism and other human rights violations. He reads and reports on political decisions to learn more about his own society, edits videos for the organization, and attends and speaks at seminars they organize. He privately took these steps for the right reasons, and not for the sake of his reputation. I believe that this is the kind of effort and growth that should be encouraged after mistakes.

Kamo’s commitment to self-improvement and growth was consistent in the feedback we received. We spoke to his coaches, teammates, and other relevant parties during our due diligence, in order to fully understand his situation. Our new coach, Ivo “LohaN” Albino and assistant coach Daniel "yaotziN" Roczniak have both worked with him in the past, and they both recognized kamo’s efforts in his personal life. Our responsibility will be to mentor and guide him so that he fulfills not only his potential as a player but also his potential as a person. Kamo knows that he has to put in the work both inside and outside the game.

At Team Liquid, accountability is one of our values. The first step is to hold individuals responsible for their actions, and the second step is to create pathways for rehabilitation for those who express genuine remorse and commitment to change. Our society can sometimes be extreme in its desire for instant results, and many default to punishment as its only recourse. But context matters. Not every wrongdoing deserves complete social exclusion. Yes, there are some acts that are irredeemable, but that is not something that should be taken lightly. It saddens me that we have become less and less able to judge “doing bad” on a spectrum, because making mistakes is part of growing up, especially in our teenage years. With effort and sincerity, the opportunity for rehabilitation can be earned. 

We have learned a lot about kamo during our meetings and trial period, and we believe he deserves that opportunity. He has apologized for his past (which you can read in the articles linked above) and has taken meaningful steps to address his behavior in private, and we will support that growth — without minimizing the seriousness of his past behavior. 

We fully understand the skepticism and concerns surrounding this decision, especially from those who do not know kamo personally. We respect that trust must be earned, but we hope that the community will be willing to give space for growth, and acknowledge both the positive progress and change made by kamo.

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Thank you,

Victor "Nazgul" Goossens