Credit: Echo Fox/lolesports
- The LCS has concluded a preliminary investigation into alleged racist comments by an Echo Fox shareholder.
- Echo Fox has 60 days to take “corrective action” or the LCS will take its own formal action against the organization.
- The LCS reiterated its stance against “hate speech, threats, and bigotry.”
The League of Legends 
Championship Series (LCS) has concluded a preliminary investigation into alleged racist comments by an Echo Fox shareholder, telling team ownership to take “corrective action” within two months or face the possibility of punitive action.
A report late last month said that founder Rick Fox was looking to sell his stake in the organization because of the alleged comments from a shareholder with investor Vision Venture Partners.
LCS Commissioner Chris Greeley, speaking through the official League of Legends Twitter account, said Echo Fox must remove “any individuals whose actions violate League rules and agreements” within 60 days or “the League will take formal action that may adversely impact the future of Echo Fox in the LCS.”
“Hate speech, threats, and bigotry have no place in the LCS,” Greeley said.
Related Article: Report: Rick Fox Set to Leave Echo Fox, Cites Racist Comments from Shareholder
The incident reportedly happened during a heated email exchange between the shareholder and former Echo Fox CEO Jace Hall, with the shareholder allegedly using a racial slur. A statement by Echo Fox said the same shareholder used similar language toward Fox himself.
If Echo Fox does not take action by removing any individuals whose actions violate League rules and agreements within the required time period, the League will take formal action that may adversely impact the future of Echo Fox in the LCS. -Chris Greeley, LCS Commissioner (2/2)
— lolesports (@lolesports) May 15, 2019
The Esports Observer has reached out to Echo Fox and Vision Venture Partners for comment and will update this story if we get a response.
It is not clear what measures the LCS would deem acceptable as corrective action. When individual players have demonstrated inappropriate behavior, the LCS and the LEC have not hesitated to discipline them. It has also acted against teams for violating league rules, with Team Impulse and Renegades told to sell their spots in May 2016 after a competitive ruling by the league.
Fox formed Echo Fox in 2015 when he acquired a North American LCS spot from Gravity Gaming. In announcing his intention to sell his stake in the team, Fox reportedly said in an email to shareholders that “I will not support or be associated with such behavior and attitudes displayed at the shareholder level. Racism is an anathema to what my personal brand strives for and tolerating any form of discrimination such as this is not acceptable.”
