Evo 2020, a fighting game tournament, has been canceled after Joey “Mr. Wizard” Cuellar was accused of assaulting a minor. The esports competition, which reported in May that it was going on the web just in the wake of COVID-19, will not proceed now. In a tweet, Evo said that it was leaving Cuellar, who “will never again be engaged with Evo in any way.” Co-originator Tony Cannon will currently lead the organization, “organizing more noteworthy responsibility across Evo, both inside and at [its] occasions.”
Ars Technica reports that Mikey “Crackpr0n” Pham was accused of assault while the latter was a teenager. Since his story was posted on Twitter, some famous players have said they are not competing in the tournament this year. After that, Cuellar appeared in a tweet to recognize the accusations, to say that he was “not proud of” things, and to express remorse. Evo canceled the event and dismissed Cuellar from his role shortly after publication.
There was a statement from EVO after this:
Over the past 24 hours, in response to serious allegations recently made public on Twitter, we have made the first of a series of important decisions regarding the future of our company. Effective immediately, Joey Cuellar will no longer be involved with Evo in any capacity. We are working towards his complete separation from the company and have relieved him of all responsibilities.
Going forward, Tony Cannon will act as CEO; in this position, he will take a leadership role in prioritizing greater accountability across Evo, both internally and at our events.
Progress doesn’t happen overnight or without the bravery of those who speak up against misconduct and injustice. We are shocked and saddened by these events, but we are listening and committed to making every change that will be necessary for making Evo a better model for the stronger, safer culture we all seek.
As a result, we will be canceling Evo Online and will work to issue refunds for all players who chose to purchase a badge. We will donate the equivalent of the proceeds as promised to Project HOPE.
