Before the match for a spot in the VALORANT Champions 2025 in Paris , an old video surfaced featuring a player from BBL — Dawid " PROFEK " Święć. In the clip, recorded in 2022, the esports player uses racist and sexist slurs and makes negative remarks about Atatürk. Amidst the scandal, Riot Games announced an investigation, but the player is still allowed to compete in matches.

Background
The incident occurred in a ranked match over two years ago when PROFEK was only 17 years old. The footage includes insults based on nationality and gender, as well as a jab at Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the national leader of Turkey . The video quickly spread within the community, sparking a wave of criticism towards the player. However, it has since been removed.

Later, another video emerged online: in it, paTiTek , a current player for Team Liquid , defended the person who insulted Atatürk. This episode added more resonance to the scandal and increased public pressure.

PROFEK 's Statement
The player himself commented on the scandal and published a lengthy address to the community, in which he admitted his guilt and apologized:

Losing is so hard, but what I saw after the match upset me even more. I truly love this community and want to apologize for the words I said in a ranked game when I was 17, not understanding how deeply I hurt people. Seeing this now is agonizing because I don't recognize myself, and I am very sorry to everyone affected. I do not agree with the use of racist expressions in any situation and have nothing but respect for Atatürk, the people of Turkey , and what he means to you. What I said then does not reflect my beliefs now, and I am completely ashamed of what I did. I hope you can forgive me because I love you all, and your support means so much to me
Dawid " PROFEK " Święć

EMEA Statement
Representatives from Riot Games EMEA stated that the incident is under review and an investigation has already begun. Until its conclusion, PROFEK will be allowed to play for BBL, including in the crucial match for a slot at Champions. Riot emphasized that any instances of toxic behavior will be thoroughly examined, regardless of when they occurred.

At the time of writing, BBL lost the first map Ascent with a score of 13:2. However, BBL still has a chance to come back in the game, as the match is in a best-of-5 format.