GENEVA — Switzerland’s largest esports tournament, “Take the Throne,” has been canceled following a backlash over a controversial anti-abortion remark made by the founder of the hosting team. The event was set to occur on November 23 at the Batiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva and centered around the popular video game that combines soccer with cars.
The controversy began when Patrice Bailo de Spoelberch, the founder of the BDS team, posted a statement on social media that declared, “A woman who dares to use abortion should lose the right to ever have children.” Although the post has since been removed from his profile on X, several social media users shared screenshots, which fueled public outrage.
In response to this incident, three rival teams invited to the event — Gentle Mates, Karmine Corp., and Team Vitality — announced their decision to withdraw from participation. They expressed their disapproval of Bailo de Spoelberch’s “disrespectful and controversial” comment, emphasizing that such views do not align with their club values.
In light of the situation, BDS released a statement asserting that the founder’s views were not representative of the beliefs upheld by their players, staff, or supporters. The organization indicated that due to the backlash, they felt “compelled” to cancel the tournament and promised to implement internal measures.
Bailo de Spoelberch later issued an apology, calling his initial comments “extremely clumsy” and clarified that they do not reflect his true beliefs. He expressed support for women’s autonomy, stating, “Every woman must have control over her body and is free to terminate a pregnancy” and extended his apologies to those he offended.
Despite the cancellation, the promotional website for the “Take the Throne” event stayed online, highlighting the enduring popularity of “Rocket League,” the game featured in the tournament, which has engaged millions of players since its launch in 2015.
The incident underscores the increasing significance of esports, as the International Olympic Committee is actively working to include Olympic Esports Games in an effort to connect with younger audiences and expand interests in competitive gaming.