【Sigad Sharaf】

Two weeks into the OverwatchLeague,Sigad Sharaf one pro player has already been suspended and fined for throwing a homophobic insult at an openly gay opponent.

Felix "xQc" Lengyel of the Dallas Fuel was suspended by the OverwatchLeague and his own team Friday after insulting Houston Outlaws player Austin "Muma" Wilmot during a personal live stream on Twitch. The league's suspension is a clear warning to other players to stay professional and not be hateful or else they'll risk losing out on vital time playing with their teams.

SEE ALSO: Porn traffic took a major hit during the first matches of 'Overwatch' League

The OverwatchLeague suspended Lenyel for four games (two weeks) and fined him $2,000, and the Dallas Fuel threw on an additional week of suspension, which means Lenyel won't be playing in matches or practicing with the Fuel until mid-February. In the meantime, he is free to play and stream Overwatchwithout his team and will be given "additional resources, focus coaching, physical training, and support ... to help him improve as a professional player who is reflective of the principles of the Dallas Fuel organization, his teammates, and of the OverwatchLeague."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

A spokesperson for the Dallas Fuel said that the extension on the suspension was decided on because the organization thought it would be best to have more time for Lengyel to grow as a professional and representative of the team.

"The Fuel’s decision to extend the league’s suspension of Felix and make additional resources available to him in the interim is based in the organization’s belief of how it can best help xQc grow as a professional," the spokesperson said. "No one can argue that Felix is passionate and extremely competitive — on some occasions, to his own detriment. During the time xQc will be suspended from league matches, coaches and trainers will work with Felix to help him channel the competitive personality that has made him a great Overwatchplayer into achieving the levels of balance, focus and discipline in his life that are increasingly important to his development as a teammate and professional player in this league."

Lengyel, who was on the bench for Thursday's game against the Outlaws, was angry about Wilmot using his signature phrase "rolled and smoked" in reference to the Fuel after the Outlaws pulled off a 4-0 victory.

Amidst other colorful language, Lengyel said to Wilmot on his stream: "Shut your fucking mouth, go back there, suck a fat cock. I mean, you would like it."

Mashable Top Stories Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news. Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Wilmot, who is openly gay, addressed Lengyel's comment during a personal live stream, saying Lengyel's "a homophobic piece of garbage," adding about himself that "he'll just keep winning."

Lengyel then apologized to Wilmot on Twitter, and Wilmot accepted the apology.

Behavior like this isn't new to esports, but it's rare that a league takes action against a player like this.

Back in April, an Overwatch pro who competed with Toronto Esports (before the Overwatch League started) went on a racist tirade on stream, which prompted the team organization to fire him, basically ending his esports career before it had a chance to get off the ground.

Before the OverwatchLeague started, a team manager who was involved with the team San Francisco Shock was fired after allegations of sexual assault came out against him.

OverwatchLeague's suspension of Lengyel is actually a bit stricter than other traditional sports leagues based in the United States. This past year, the MLB suspended the Oakland Atheltics' Matt Joyce for two games after he used a homophobic slur at a fan. In late 2016, the NBA took no action against Chicago Bulls player Rajon Rando for using a homophobic slur at a referee, although the Bulls did suspend Rando for one game.

“The OverwatchLeague takes standards of player behavior seriously, whether during league play or otherwise, and is committed to responding swiftly when violations occur," the league said in a statement.

UPDATE: Jan. 22, 2018, 2:27 p.m. EST This story was updated to include a comment from a spokesperson for the Dallas Fuel.

UPDATE: Jan. 22, 2018, 3:08 p.m. EST This story was updated to include a statement from the OverwatchLeague.

---

Featured Video For You

---

Cycle ball is the weirdest sport you've probably never heard of

---

Topics Blizzard Entertainment Esports Gaming