{"id":14793,"date":"2021-04-08T18:29:09","date_gmt":"2021-04-08T18:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ginx.tv\/hearthstone-pro-zalae-suspended-from-grandmasters-following-abuse-allegations"},"modified":"2024-07-19T07:40:57","modified_gmt":"2024-07-19T07:40:57","slug":"hearthstone-pro-zalae-suspended-from-grandmasters-following-abuse-allegations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ginx.tv\/en\/hearthstone\/hearthstone-pro-zalae-suspended-from-grandmasters-following-abuse-allegations","title":{"rendered":"Hearthstone pro Zalae suspended from Grandmasters following abuse allegations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hearthstone<\/a> Grandmasters player Paul “Zalae” Nemeth has been suspended from the competition, Blizzard announced today.<\/p>\n

In January of this year, Zalae has been accused of domestic abuse<\/a> toward his ex-partner, Twitch streamer lidlRini.<\/p>\n

Zalae and lidlRini have been in a relationship for several months before started living together, but according to lidlRini’s statement, that short period was nothing but hell for her.<\/p>\n

She claims that she was undergoing psychological violence practically non-stop, with Zalae being “incredibly emotionally abusive”, manipulative, and “a control freak” without any respect for her.<\/p>\n

\"zalae
(Picture: Blizzard\/Zalae)<\/span><\/p>\n

According to lidlRini’s story, the last evening she has spent with Zalae ended in violence, as Zalae “physically got on top of me and put a pillow over my face while holding me down, effectively suffocating me until I managed to get a breath to yell ‘I can’t breathe!”<\/p>\n

lidlRini explained that he was blinded by rage, but her words barely “snapped him out of it” so he let go of the pillow and got up, letting her breathe.<\/p>\n

lidlRini has shared her experience more than 3 months ago and at the time, Zalae has temporarily withdrawn from Twitch and social media, but he has recently started streaming again.<\/p>\n

As a member of Hearthstone Grandmasters, which is a top-tier Hearthstone competition held by Blizzard, a number of people in the community have been concerned over him still being amongst players for 2021 Hearthstone Grandmasters Season 1<\/a>, which starts this weekend.<\/p>\n

Grandmasters is a semi-invitational competition, and Zalae has been a part of it since its establishment, but it seems that Blizzard has decided to suspend him at the last minute.<\/p>\n

\"Eyd6LbuUcAAxv6r.jpg:large\"<\/a>Hearthstone Esports on Twitter<\/span>pic.twitter.com\/Y1b4VvnbZf— Hearthstone Esports (@HSesports) April 8, 2021<\/span>Hearthstone Esports<\/span>Twitter<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

“Hearthstone Esports is aware of allegations made against Americas Grandmaster, Paul “Zalae” Nemeth,” reads the statement. “Upon further review, we have suspended Zalae from competing in all Hearthstone Esports events.”<\/p>\n

In the meantime, lidlRini has tweeted out her statement in regards to this suspension.<\/p>\n

<\/a> Rini on Twitter<\/span> I’m not the best with my words right now, but I need to say:To all women out there who have spoken up about a man despite him having more clout or followers than you – I am so proud of you.Thank you to previous women who came out & gave ME the strength to do so as well.— Rini (@lidlRini) April 8, 2021<\/span> Rini<\/span> Twitter<\/span> <\/a><\/div>\n

“To all women out there who have spoken up about a man despite him having more clout or followers than you – I am so proud of you,” she said. “Thank you to previous women who came out & gave ME the strength to do so as well.”<\/p>\n