Team Liquid have announced that they will give $50,000 to Rainbow Railroad, a charity that helps LGBTQ+ individuals escape persecution. This announcement came in response to backlash over Team Liquid's intention to field their DoTA 2 team at the Gamers8 tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia later this month. Gamers8 is one of the biggest examples of esports-washing around. It hosts several major esports titles in tournaments featuring several major teams. However, the festival is yet another example of Saudi Arabia utilizing sports to hide its ugly past and present.
However, Team Liquid CEO Victor Goossens stood firm in his belief that you can support the LGBTQ+ community while also taking money from the Saudi Arabian royal family. As a reminder, Gamers8 is run by ESL FACEIT Group. EFG is entirely owned by the Public Investment Fund, aka the Saudi royal family's sportswashing Scrooge McDuck money pit. “Truth be told, for better or worse, I do not see a path or I do not see a future for an organization within esports to stay in the top tier and not participate in any of these events,” Goossens said in his four-minute prepared statement. He's not the only one though. Rainbow Six caster and analyst Jess Bolden said she was "deep ashamed" of previous comments criticizing Saudi Arabia. This came as part of an announcement that she had agreed to take their money to appear at Gamers8 2023.
No, You Can't Support The LGBTQ+ Community And Saudi Arabia
Unfortunately, Goossens trying to have his stroopkoeken and eat it too. The Dutchman states that Team Liquid has no problem calling out the human rights record of Saudi Arabia. However, at no point does he call out the human rights record of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, Goossens also alleges that Team Liquid is still dedicated to the values of "diversity and inclusion". However, how one can remain dedicated to diversity and inclusion while competing for money provided by an oppressive regime is an impressive mental gymnastics.
The long and short of it is that taking Saudi Arabian, or money from any regime that persecutes the LGBTQ+ community, means you can no longer call yourself an ally. You had a choice between money and supporting a marginalized community, and you chose money. Furthermore, giving $50,000 (or 0.05% of your annual revenue) to help people persecute while also helping fluff the public image of the persecutors is, as the gaming community would say, not poggies. At the end of the day, it would be more understandable if Team Liquid were honest about prioritizing profits. They could simply say "no offense but we care more about money than queer people". It would still be the cowardly thing to do, it would have at least been honest. Instead, they are trying to both sides genocide. When you attempt to remain neutral, or help both sides, in a case of oppression, you are inherently aiding the oppressor.
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