UPDATE April 9:
Blizzard has informed Inven Global that Zalae’s suspension will be for a period of one year. On the question of what motivated him or whether an investigation into the allegations was considered and / or conducted, Blizzard said they “do not discuss internal eligibility decisions.”
Original story:
Blizzard has suspended Hearthstone Grandmaster Paul “Zalae” Nemeth’s player following allegations of abuse by his ex-girlfriend. Zalae was announced as a member of the Grandmaster circuit on Wednesday, April 7, but was suspended a day and a few hours before the first matches began.
Zanae was accused of domestic abuse by his ex-girlfriend Rini in January 2021. In a TwitLonger, Rini detailed the facts of his relationship with the player, alleging a pattern of behavior in which “Zalae I was repeatedly making fun of body postures as if I was going to hit myself, locking myself in small spaces, making myself look bigger / threatening, and physically grabbing my wrists to grab me in small spaces. ” Rini admitted to physically hitting Zalae in the arms twice, and the second allegedly provoked a fit of rage.
“The second slap caused me to be physically picked up and dragged to the room, thrown on the bed, put on and put a pillow on my face while holding me tight, effectively suffocating me until I caught my breath. to shout “I can’t breathe !!”
I was so angry, ”Rini writes.
Although the allegations arose in January and involved many high-profile members of the Hearthstone community, Zalae was still included as one of the Grand Master players for the 2021 season. When asked for comments, Blizzard told Inven Global on Wednesday, April 7 that the company “is aware of the allegations and is evaluating the matter.” Zalae was banned a day later, on April 8th.
The official statement does not indicate how long Zalae’s suspension will last: whether temporary, permanent or permanent. Although asked for comment, Blizzard has not yet told Inven Global whether an investigation has been initiated or even raised. According to Inven Global sources, between January, when the allegations were broken and today, there has been no attempt to investigate to contact the party in question.
The story unfolds.