The League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) recently faced backlash after displaying an inappropriate chat message during a live broadcast. The incident occurred during the Spring Week 3 match between Karmine Corp and Team Heretics.
Inappropriate Message Displayed on Broadcast
During the second game of the series, a message reading “NETENKYEAHOO!!!” appeared on the screen. Karmine Corp was leading the series 1-0 and had just executed a powerful play against Team Heretics. The chat message seemed to combine the name of Karmine Corp’s Mid Laner, Kang ‘kyeahoo’ Ye-hoo, alongside the name of Israel’s long-serving former Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
LEC’s Response to the Incident
Following the broadcast, the LEC issued an apology via social media. They acknowledged that the inappropriate message should not have been aired and expressed regret towards Karmine Corp, kyeahoo, and the fans. The LEC stated, “We’ve taken the appropriate steps to ensure this won’t happen again.”
Clarifications by LEC Casters
LEC casters Aaron ‘Medic’ Chamberlain and Robert ‘Dagda’ Price took to Twitter to clarify that they had no influence over the chat messages displayed on-air. Dagda emphasized that the messages shown do not reflect their personal views. Medic also confirmed he escalated the issue to Riot and reiterated that the message was not representative of their opinions.
Key Details of the Incident
- Event: LEC Spring Week 3 Match
- Teams: Karmine Corp vs. Team Heretics
- Game Status: Karmine Corp 1-0 up
- Inappropriate Message: “NETENKYEAHOO!!!”
- Apology Date: April 12, 2026
Availability of Broadcast Footage
The offensive message remains visible in the LEC’s Twitch VOD. However, the YouTube stream of that day has not been archived. This incident has triggered discussions about the responsibilities of esports organizations in managing live chat content during broadcasts.
As the esports community seeks to uphold a respectful environment, incidents like this underscore the importance of strict moderation and oversight of user-generated content during live events.
