By HIKARU ITO
Kana Tani, also known as Tanukana, was fired by Osaka-based Cyclops Athlete Gaming after remarks she made during a Feb. 15 stream. During the stream, Tanukana, 29, stated, “165 cm (5 feet, 5 in) is small. If you’re not 170 cm (5 feet, 6.9 in), please live your life thinking that you don’t have any human rights.” During the same stream, she also told viewers that short men should consider bone-lengthening surgery and that she couldn’t stand small men.
Cyclops Athlete Gaming released a post on Twitter announcing the termination of Tanukana’s contract. They also released a statement on their website apologizing for Tanukana’s misconduct during the stream, stating that, “We will take strict measures regarding the future disposal of the athlete. We will once again conduct compliance training for the entire team, strengthen the management system, and thoroughly prevent recurrence.”
Tanukana posted an apology on Twitter saying, “It was pointed out to me that my stream contained hate speech.” She also stated that she had poorly represented her love for tall people. The apology has since been deleted.
Tanukana then posted an additional apology on Twitter on Feb. 16, “As a professional esports player and as a member of society, I deeply regret and apologize for betraying you.”
Following Tanukana’s remarks, all sponsors, including Red Bull and Alienware, were removed from Tanukana’s Cyclops Gaming page.
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