Kim ‘Clid’ Tae-min Receives 12-Month eSports Ban
Kim ‘Clid’ Tae-min, popular gaming star of the League of Champions Korea (LCK), has received a 12-month ban from all League of Legends (LoL) activities over inappropriate behavior. The incident came to light after multiple women, including an underage girl, claimed to have received sexually explicit messages from the gamer. The situation escalated in June when a user named ‘Seoyeon’ publicised several indecent direct messages and a selfie from Clid.
Investigation and Findings
According to Seoyeon, her pleas to Hanwha Life Esports, the team Clid was associated with, fell on deaf ears. Following an extensive investigation involving message audits and statements from the women involved, Riot announced that the women had in no way encouraged Clid’s inappropriate behavior, but had instead shown clear signs of rejection. In addition, Riot emphasized that engaging in sexual conversations with minors is inexcusable irrespective of the circumstances in a statement regarding their findings.
Implications for Clid
Citing Clid's status as a professional gamer with an obligation for public decorum, the LCK Investigation Committee described the issue’s severity and accordingly suspended Clid from the LCK and LCK CL for 12 months. Clid will be given 14 days to appeal against the ban with the South Korean Esports Fairness Committee. However, should he choose not to, the ban will be deemed final, barring Clid from participating in any domestic or international League of Legends esports.
Uncertain Future
At the age of 24, with a full year's suspension from all LoL activities, Clid's professional gaming career now hangs in the balance. Known previously for his prowess in the game, he tasted fame in 2019 with SK Telecom T1, reaching the semi-finals of both the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and World Championship that year. Following this, Clid had stints with teams such as Gen.G and FunPlus Phoenix before signing up with Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) at the end of 2022. He was sidelined from HLE's starter lineup in late June, just after the controversial messages surfaced. As a result, Clid was unable to participate in the LCK Summer 2023 and the LCK Regional Finals, with his team finishing in third and fourth place, respectively, and failed to qualify for the Worlds 2023.
The decision regarding Clid's future in professional gaming is yet to be ascertained, casting a shadow over his once-blossoming career.