The player Jay “Sinatraa” Won was long considered the best Overwatch player in the world. In 2019, he was crowned MVP of the Overwatch League. He is now playing Valorant. However, allegations of abuse from an ex-girlfriend have led Blizzard, Riot Games, and his esports team to distance themselves from him. Blizzard is offering to take back his MVP skin. Sinatraa denies the allegations.
This is Sinatraa: The 20-year-old Jay “Sinatraa” Won is probably one of the best players in the world when it comes to first-person shooters. He was one of the youngest professionals to start playing Overwatch. His mother signed for the 17-year-old player in 2017, who was unable to sign the $150,000 contract legally himself.
In the following 3 years, Sinatraa made a name for himself in Overwatch with heroes like Zarya, Doomfist, or Tracer. He won everything in Overwatch: became a champion in the league, most valuable player of the league, world champion, and most valuable player at the world championship.
When he left Overwatch in 2020 to switch to Valorant for more money, it was bitter. Even Blizzard regretted his departure, but still granted him the skin he deserved as MVP.
Allegations of Assault and Manipulation by Ex-Girlfriend
These are the allegations against Sinatraa: Yesterday, on March 10, the 21-year-old Cleo “Cleo0h” Hernandez took to her Twitter account to make serious allegations against Sinatraa. She says (via twitter):
- She was together with Sinatraa for 9 months. She got into the relationship because she was a “stupid fan of the Overwatch League” and found it really exciting that Sinatraa was interested in her, Cleo Hernandez writes. She has now decided to talk about her traumatic relationship with “Jay,” as she calls him.
- When they first slept together, he refused to use a condom and ejaculated inside her without her consent.
- On several occasions, Sinatraa had sex with her despite her saying “no” and experiencing pain. When she resisted, he simply ignored it. At some point, she stopped resisting and endured the sex silently while staring at the ceiling.
- Sinatraa repeatedly emotionally manipulated her into sleeping with him, even when she didn’t want to. When she refused, he pouted, said “she didn’t love him,” “thought he was ugly,” and did everything to make her feel obliged to sleep with him.
- Sinatraa manipulated her by threatening to break up with her. It was like a game for him to make her beg him not to leave.
The 21-year-old says: It has been a year, but she is still processing the wounds that this toxic relationship has caused her. She has had to give up a lot to no longer see his face or hear his voice. She is in anonymous support groups for women who have been assaulted.
Ms. Hernandez has released a 9-page text document with many screenshots of social media messages exchanged with Sinatraa.
Why didn’t she go to the police? Ms. Hernandez says she once stood in front of a police station for 20 minutes but then decided against it. Because she believes the case does not meet several requirements to hold up as rape in court.
She did not physically resist him. Was fully conscious. Had no fear that Sinatraa would kill her or someone she loves.
Although she said “no” countless times, because she succumbed to emotional abuse and not physical abuse, it is difficult to achieve a conviction.
This is what Sinatraa says: The current Valorant pro has issued a relatively short statement (via twitter). He says it is clear that Cleo remembers the relationship differently than he does.
The relationship was “unhealthy” for both of them. He apologizes to Cleo for how things ended, but he never assaulted her in any form.
He will now fully cooperate with the investigation and provide video and audio material.
Riot Games, Blizzard, and Esports Team Distance Themselves from Sinatraa
These are the immediate consequences: After the allegations surfaced, the companies associated with Sinatraa immediately reacted:
The Overwatch League, meaning Blizzard, announced that they would offer a full refund to anyone who owns Sinatraa’s MVP skin (the Alien skin): Buyers of the skin will receive 200 League Tokens and the skin will be removed from their collection. They will announce how the process will work. Blizzard takes these allegations very seriously, they say (via twitter).
The Valorant Champions Tour NA, meaning Riot Games, has temporarily suspended Sinatraa. He will not be able to participate in the professional tour this weekend (via Twitter).
Sentinels, his Overwatch team, has also suspended him until the investigation is complete (via twitter).
Riot Games and Sentinels have announced that they will launch an investigation.
How the ex-girlfriend reacts: Ms. Hernandez is currently expressing disappointment. She says she hopes the “investigations” will also speak with her. She has already seen investigations in esports that only talk to the player.
She tells Sinatraa: He never apologized to her. The least he could do is apologize to her in person. But he can’t even manage that.
Blizzard is known for responding quickly to such allegations. For example, in June, they removed the NPCs of a WoW player after his ex-girlfriend described a toxic relationship:
Blizzard removes 2 NPCs of a streamer from WoW – Immediately after the allegation
