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UK esports organisation Into the Breach have released Counter-Strike player Adam ‘NEOFRAG’ Zouhar from their roster some three weeks after announcing his signing.
The organisation, aka ITB Shuffle, made the announcement earlier today, saying the Czechia player made ‘unequivocal breaches of our morals and company standards we cannot overlook’.
“NEOFRAG has been removed from our active roster and all professional association terminated with immediate effect,” the org said in a statement.
“Our decision is based on comments and perspectives displayed which do not align with our attitudes regarding inclusivity and equality. The expectations of our organisation are clear – and we hold everyone to the same standard.”
Into the Breach founder and CEO, Sam Macedonio, later clarified on Twitter: “The termination was due to recent behaviour, not an old clip. Stop hypothesising. I didn’t make this decision lightly.”
He also said his comment was referring to ‘people drawing wild conclusions and then immediately sharing it as fact’.
One Twitter user, Deadly89 said to Sam: “Kicked because of bad racist joke in Teamspeak, not even warning or some type of punishment which would be reasonable.”
Sam responded, saying NEOFRAG was ‘warned several times’.
The news comes after Into the Breach announced the signing of NEOFRAG and Bymas following the departure of Cypher and volt, and their recent departure from IEM Cologne 2023.
This came following Into the Breach’s incredible run at the CSGO Paris Major 2023 earlier in the year.
NEOFRAG on being released by Into the Breach: ‘This behaviour was rightly called out and I would like to apologise to everyone, including my fans’
NEOFRAG said on Twitter this evening: “I think it’s time I address something many have been wondering about. The reason I have suddenly been removed from ITB is because of poor decision making on my behalf.
“I believe it is important to recognise and be transparent with our mistakes so that we can grown and learn from them. In an attempt to be funny and gain favour with my new teammates, I made distasteful jokes and didn’t expect that it would’ve been taking seriously.
“Even though no offence was ever intended, this behaviour was rightly called out and I would like to apologise to everyone, including my fans. I was acting immature and I am truly sorry about it. I understand that this behaviour was wrong and it won’t happen again.
“In an attempt to be funny and gain favour with my new teammates, I made distasteful jokes and didn’t expect that it would’ve been taking seriously.”
NEOFRAG
“The process of how everything went down and the sudden release of the contract came to me as a shock. Even though I do not agree with how the situation was handled I accept and respect ITB’s decision.
“I am saddened by how it ended but I am also grateful for the chance ITB has given me and thankful that I could be part of their team. I will take this time to reflect and do better looking into the future. I wish the team and the staff all the best.”
Into the Breach sign Trace as head coach
In other Into the Breach news, the UK organisation have signed ex-Astralis coach Trace as head coach, replacing Juve:
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
