TL;DR
- Professional CSGO player fer was banned from Twitch for using a Brazilian racial slur referencing ‘hard hair’
- The incident violated Twitch’s zero-tolerance policies against hate speech and threats
- fer’s ban followed multiple controversies including cheating accusations and fan death threats
- Twitch enforces strict penalties for first offenses involving racial insensitivity
- MIBR’s apology couldn’t prevent the suspension amid their month of negative publicity
Fernando ‘fer’ Alvarenga, a prominent Counter-Strike: Global Offensive professional, received a platform suspension from Twitch according to monitoring account StreamerBans. This development represents a significant escalation in the streaming consequences faced by competitive gaming figures.
The enforcement action culminates a challenging period for both the player and his organization, Made in Brazil (MIBR). The team faced multiple reputation-damaging events including racial language usage during a live broadcast, threats targeting another esports competitor, and claims of match manipulation through intimidation tactics.
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❌ Twitch Partner “fer” (@fer) has been banned! ❌https://t.co/Xk9QNpArZV#twitch
#ban
#firstban
#partner
#twitchpartner
????— StreamerBans (@StreamerBans)
June 30, 2020
Why was fer banned from Twitch?
While Twitch hasn’t disclosed the precise justification for fer’s suspension, evidence strongly points to an exchange where he employed racially charged terminology regarding ‘hard hair’ while responding to chat messages. Within Brazilian cultural context, this specific phrase functions as a derogatory reference targeting individuals of African descent, carrying similar weight to established racial slurs in other regions.
Twitch’s platform regulations explicitly prohibit hate speech expressions and violent threats. The company designates these category violations as ‘zero-tolerance offenses,’ meaning initial infractions can result in permanent account termination without warning. Given Twitch’s consistent enforcement patterns, fer’s utilization of this localized offensive expression likely triggered the disciplinary action.
Despite MIBR’s swift organizational apology attempting to mitigate the situation, Twitch’s review process determined the comment severity justified platform removal. This highlights that team management interventions cannot override Twitch’s independent content moderation decisions.
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pic.twitter.com/HzyafgoWhD
— MIBR (@mibr)
June 2, 2020
The banned competitor represents Made in Brazil, a professional CSGO squad that encountered numerous headline-generating incidents throughout this period. fer frequently appeared as a central figure in these controversies, including unsubstantiated cheating allegations targeting fellow professional Nathan ‘leaf’ Orf. The matchup between MIBR and Orf’s Chaos Esports Club organization precipitated death threats against the 16-year-old player from MIBR supporters.
This hostile environment emerged after influential Brazilian streamer Alexandre ‘gAuLeS’ Borba joined MIBR team members in publicly accusing leaf of utilizing unauthorized assistance during the CS Summit 6 tournament. Such community-driven harassment illustrates the real-world consequences of professional players making public accusations without conclusive evidence.
Content creators should understand that their platform influence carries responsibility for follower behavior. Professional gamers must exercise caution when discussing competitive integrity concerns, directing them through official tournament channels rather than public speculation that can incite community retaliation.
Twitch maintains rigorous content standards that apply equally to partnered and non-partnered streamers. The platform’s hate speech prohibitions extend beyond direct slurs to include coded language and culturally specific derogatory terms. Streamers operating in international contexts must research local terminology implications before using unfamiliar expressions.
The suspension duration remains unspecified, though indefinite bans represent Twitch’s standard response to severe first-time violations. This disciplinary approach reflects the platform’s commitment to maintaining inclusive environments, particularly given Twitch’s significant investment in esports broadcasting rights and gaming content.
For aspiring content creators looking to build sustainable streaming careers, understanding platform enforcement frameworks proves essential. Our Class Guide discusses similar professionalism requirements in competitive gaming environments. Platform compliance requires ongoing education about evolving community guidelines and cultural sensitivity standards.
This suspension marks another difficult development during MIBR’s challenging period, demonstrating that established professional status doesn’t exempt players from content moderation consequences.
Action Checklist
- Research cultural implications of terminology before streaming to international audiences
- Review Twitch’s Community Guidelines quarterly for policy updates
- Establish clear boundaries for chat moderation and offensive language
- Develop protocols for handling competitive integrity concerns through official channels
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