FC Schalke 04 has suspended a player ahead of the final phase of the EU Masters. Frenchman Ismaïl ‘Isma’ Boualem plays as a jungler for the Knappen and was removed from the active squad for racist remarks. The ban comes at an inopportune time for the team – the group stage of the EU Masters is underway and Schalke can no longer afford any mistakes in order to advance

Streamer cuts insults with

‘Isma’ was already not playing in the first round of the playoffs. Then on Monday the rumblings began, culminating in a statement from Schalke to have Boualem released with immediate effect because of an incident

The Knappen youngster hurled racist insults at a teammate in a solo game – but he streamed it and recorded it live. FC Schalke 04, which has always stood up for tolerance and against discrimination, could not let that stand. The suspension is also affecting the team: The team lost both group matches so far and is now in a very poor position for the rest of the tournament.

For the squires, the competition is not entirely unimportant, after the sale of the LEC place are the EU Masters still the most important tournament below the LEC in Europe.

Schalke publishes statement against racism

Today, the club took the furor over the suspended player as an opportunity to send a strong signal against racism and discrimination. Via Twitter, Schalke published a long zero-tolerance statement in English:

THE RESPONSIBILITY WE BEAR AS SCHALKE 04 GOES BEYOND THE RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE FOR OUR TEAM AND THE ESPORTS COMMUNITY. WE ARE ALSO A FOOTBALL CLUB THAT PLAYS A BIG PART IN THE SPORTS COMMUNITY IN GERMANY AND ALSO WORLDWIDE

AN INSULT SAID IN THE League of Legends WORLD MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT WEIGHT THERE THAN IN THE WORLD WE OPERATE IN AS SCHALKE 04. WE KNOW THAT THE MANNERS IN LoL ARE PERHAPS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT – BUT WE TAKE INTERNALLY ALL WITH THE SAME STANDARDS IN THE DUTY, WE ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE THAT CLEAR UNEQUIVOCALLY:

WE DO NOT STAND FOR HATE AND TOXIC BEHAVIOR. EVERYONE AT SCHALKE – PLAYERS, MANAGERS, STAFF, EMPLOYEES, BOARD MEMBERS – IS CALLED UPON TO INTERNALIZE THIS. WE HAVE ALSO SET THIS DOWN IN A MISSION STATEMENT.

FOR COUNTLESS YEARS, FC SCHALKE 04 HAS BEEN WORKING AGAINST RACISM, ANTI-SEMITISM AND DISCRIMINATION – WE’VE COME A LONG WAY, MADE MISTAKES, LEARNED AND CONTINUED TO LEARN. SOMETIMES PEOPLE SEEM TO FORGET THAT THE THINGS WE SAY ONLINE HAVE A VERY REAL IMPACT ON PEOPLE. THIS IS REAL LIFE AND THE THINGS WE SAY MATTER. PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND;