What did Rupal say? The N-word controversy has been clarified, with Team Liquid removing it from the Overwatch roster

Overwatch pro Rupal Zaman has gone viral on social media after a photo surfaced of him using the N-word while playing the competitive game. On March 16, 2026, a screenshot of Team Liquid’s battle against Spacestation Gaming appeared on social media platforms like Reddit and X, showing Rupal typing the following into the in-game chat box:

“Shut the fuck up *****”

The reddit community r/Competitiveoverwatch had a lot to say about Rupal’s actions, with one netizen stating that “no amount of context” would save him.

“No amount of context is saved bro,” commented Reddit user Fit_Channel2529.

“He would constantly complain about how racist Koreans are and then walk away like…” Reddit user Jenksanro wrote.

“How stupid can you be..” Reddit user NatalieFawn commented.

“I don’t understand why people feel the need to drop insults like this, even when I was at my rage while playing the game, that’s a line I never cross. ‘Hot gaming moment’ isn’t really a good excuse for this kind of bullshit anymore.” Reddit user -Arrez- stated.

Steve Arhanset, co-CEO of Team Liquid, announced the removal of Rupal from the Overwatch roster

Team Liquid co-CEO Steve Arhanset took to

He then announced Robal’s removal from the Team Liquid Overwatch roster, writing:

“Today, an Overwatch player used an anti-Black racial slur in chat during an altercation. For Black players, fans, and members of our community, this resonated with: I’m sorry. I want to be clear in condemning the language he used. There is no place for that in our game, in our community, or in this organization. We began looking into the incident the moment it was brought to our attention. After a thorough review, we have decided to release Rupal and remove him from our Overwatch roster.”

Furthermore, Steve stated that Rubal was “a young man who made a huge mistake in a very public way”:

“Team Liquid has always tried to build something bigger than wins and losses. That means holding ourselves accountable when we fail, and it means being honest with our community instead of hiding behind vague language. What happened today was wrong, and we felt we owed you a clear response. We also recognize that Robal is a leader in the Overwatch scene in NA, but also a young man who made a huge mistake in a very public way. We hope this becomes a moment for real reflection and growth for him. It’s not the end of his career. Story, but it’s a point “He turned it in, and we wish him success.”

‘I personally experienced racism’ – Rupal says he ‘takes responsibility for his mistakes’

On the same day (March 16, 2026), Rupal tweeted the aforementioned X post by Steve Arhanset to address the use of “abusive language.” The 23-year-old wrote that using the “N” word was a “huge mistake on his part,” adding that he “takes responsibility for his mistakes.”

He also expressed his intention to “go on a break to think and work on himself”:

“No excuses from me. I grew up in a Bengali home in America. I have faced racism myself not only in America but in other countries as well. So I should know that using such offensive language is terrible and not something that should be said casually. It is a terrible mistake on my part. I do not consider myself a hateful person, and I always enjoy meeting new people regardless of their background. Sorry to all who have supported me. I take responsibility for my mistakes and will take a break to reflect and work on myself.”

In addition to being a professional gamer, Rupal is a well-known Twitch streamer, and currently has 18,962 followers on his channel.