The online version of the Evolution Championship Series (better known as Evo) was canceled Thursday following allegations of sexual abuse against its organizer and CEO, Joey Cuellar. Evo said in a statement on Twitter that he has relieved Cuellar of his responsibilities and is working to separate him completely from the company.
“In the past 24 hours, in response to serious allegations recently posted on Twitter, we have made the first of a series of important decisions regarding the future of our company,” the company said in the statement. “Progress does not happen overnight, or without the courage of those who denounce misconduct and injustice. We are saddened by these events, but we are listening and committed to making all the changes that are necessary to make Evo a better model for the stronger and safer culture that we all seek. ”
The allegations against Cuellar first appeared on Twitter Wednesday through Mikey “CrackPr0n” Pham, who said the abuse occurred when he was just nine years old. That led to many organizations pulling out of the event, including Capcom, NetherRealm, and Bandai Namco, as well as several popular competitors.
Cuellar has since apologized.
“Sorry. I never wanted to hurt anyone,” Cuéllar said in a statement, also done on Twitter. “I was young and reckless and I did things that I’m not proud of. I’ve been growing and maturing for the last 20 years, but that it doesn’t excuse anything. All I’ve been trying to do is be a better person. “
The allegations against Cuellar come amid a torrent of similar stories, mentioning abuse, harassment, and racism in video games, board games, and comics. The repercussions of these scandals could have a lasting impact on these industries in the coming years.
Evo 2020 was originally supposed to take place this year in Las Vegas, but was canceled due to the ongoing pandemic. The online event was meant to take its place. According to the official website, the tournament will return in 2021.
