Riot Games has publicly acknowledged the sexual assault allegations made against former VCT player Ava ‘florescent‘ Eugene.
“On May 17th, we were made aware of the sexual-assault allegations made against a competitor. Such allegations are among the most serious an individual can face and we urge anyone with relevant information to contact law enforcement,” stated the game developer.
UPDATE 20/05/24: Since the original publication of this story on May 19th, more allegations have surfaced and a statement has been made by florescent’s former teammates.
While Riot Games will not be conducting its own investigation, the company confirmed it will fully cooperate with legal authorities and will assess florescent’s eligibility for future VCT events based on the outcome.
“Our Competitive Operations Team will cooperate fully with any legal investigation and assess whether these allegations affect the individuals future eligibility,” the statement added.
What Allegations Have Been Made
On May 17th, an X (Twitter) user came forward on behalf of a girl, who would be referred to as ‘Brick’, accusing florescent of sexual assault.
florescent responded the same day, denying the allegations and revealing that she would seek legal assistance to tackle the situation.
“I’m aware of the allegations that were made against me and take them very seriously. However, I strongly deny any and all accusations of SA,” florescent tweeted.
“I’m currently treating this matter with my full attention. I am also exploring immediate legal assistance to help determine the best way for me to proceed, both in determining what I can share publicly, and how to best go about clearing my name. I will provide an update when capable.”
She added: “I wish I could provide evidence for the public to see immediately, but I have been asked to refrain from sharing at this time for my own safety. I ask that you please respect the other party’s privacy at this time.”
On May 18th, a follow-up statement was issued by Brick via Google Docs; however, as of now a legal outcome is still awaited.
Riot Games Backlash From The Community
The community has strongly criticised Riot for withholding florescent’s name in its statement, with many comparing it to previous cases where accused individuals were explicitly named.
“So Sinatraa gets accused of similar stuff back then and as soon as the investigation starts he’s barred from competing but for some reason now it’s ‘we’ll see if they’ll still be eligible to play again,’” a user tweeted.
“Disappointing you don’t name names like you’ve done an awful amount of times to so many people,” said another.
A former VALORANT journalist, George Geddes, also raised his voice over the lack of an internal investigation and temporary suspension by Riot.
“No mention of your own investigation? No temp suspension from Riot competitions? No mention of her name? (If it’s for legal reasons, then say it – like every news story on the planet). The soft power you hold with your statements and wording should be understood at Riot,” Geddes responded to the statement.