❘ Revealed: 2023-05-22T18:55:06
❘ Up to date: 2023-05-22T18:55:16
Hartford Regionals Pokemon TCG Champion Rowan Stavenow sparked backlash after a video went viral, exhibiting him getting a racist image shaved into the aspect of his head following the occasion.
Aggressive Pokemon’s Championship Season is effectively underway, with Regional and Worldwide Championships happening at the least as soon as a month.
From Could 20 to Could 21, gamers competed towards one another within the Hartford Regional Championships, with Rowan Stavenow bringing house the dub.
Nevertheless, what occurred to Rowan after the occasion sparked backlash all through the sport’s group.
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Pokemon TCG champion sparks backlash with racist image
Shortly after the occasion concluded, a video of Rowan with a racist image shaved into the aspect of his head started making its method round social media after a buddy posted it to Snapchat.
It wasn’t obtained very effectively by members of the group, who known as on The Pokemon Firm to punish Stavenow for breaking the Play! Pokemon guidelines on harassment & bullying.
“No matter intent, a powerful assertion is made by this image. Carrying this image is unacceptable in our group,” mentioned YouTuber Celio’s Network.
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“I hope you see how this could possibly be hurtful and predatory to group members, and probably scare individuals away from the sport that all of us love. Make higher selections sooner or later please.”
A whole bunch of others shared Celio’s sentiment within the replies to his tweet, with many ready on Rowan’s response to the backlash.
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Rowan Stavenow points apology over racist emblem
On Could 22, 2023, the day after he introduced house the Hartford Regionals Championship trophy, Rowan issued an apology on his Twitter account.
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“To all of the members of the Pokemon group who’ve been damage by the video of me that has been circulating, I’m sorry. I perceive why you might be damage,” he mentioned.
He additionally revealed that he didn’t realize it was being shaved into his head, and undoubtedly didn’t know somebody was posting it on-line.
“Within the video, I used to be drunk and determined it was time to shave my head. I advised my associates they might make me look as silly as they need earlier than giving me a clear shave,” Rowan defined.
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“You’ll be able to hear me say, ‘I can’t see the aspect, someone take an image.’ I actually didn’t know that was going to be saved into my head and would by no means have allowed it if I knew.”
Stavenow made it clear that he was “actually disgusted” with being related to the image, and felt gutted after studying considered one of his associates posted a video of it on-line.
The response to his apology appears to be fairly break up, with many hoping that he lower ties along with his associates.
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This wasn’t the one little bit of controversy over the weekend, as a Pokemon TCG participant on the Malmo Regional Championships has been accused of dishonest.