SonicFox, winner of the EVO 2024 Mortal Kombat 1 tournament and one of the most respected esports players in the world, won’t be competing in the upcoming Esports World Cup because they are worried about Saudi Arabian influence and the country’s stance on homosexuality.
In an interview with VG247, SonicFox was asked to share their opinion about the Esports World Cup and, more specifically, how they feel about the growing influence of the Saudi Arabian government.
“I’m very vocal about this in terms of the Esports World Cup,” SonicFox explained. “Unfortunately, people like me and other transgender people, a lot of folks like us straight up can’t compete.”
“I don’t actually think it’s a good idea to have this overwhelming government support in the FGC, because what often happens is it discriminates against people,” they continued. It’s no secret Saudi Arabia has been under fire because of the way it treats the LGBTQ+ community. According to Human Dignity Trust, Saudi Arabia views being gay as a criminal offense, and the punishment in extreme cases can even be the death penalty.
On July 21, SonicFox won first place in Mortal Kombat 1 at Evo 2024, earning them their seventh Evo title and making them second in the world for most Evo titles won. With such an impressive track record, many sponsors would likely want SonicFox on their team for the upcoming Esports World Cup—but SonicFox turned all of them down.
“Unfortunately sponsors have been starting to hit me up for the Esports World Cup,” SonicFox explained. “I don’t think I’ve never felt more humiliated than having to say to those sponsors ‘I cannot do this because I am gay.’” While this isn’t the first time SonicFox has had to deal with discrimination online (and they often meet it without flinching), visiting a country that criminalizes their life is a different matter altogether.
While SonicFox has plenty of support from fans online, and they’ve certainly proved their mettle in the esports arena, attending the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia seems like a battle not worth fighting.
