Sentinels and former San Francisco Shock professional esports player Jay "Sinatraa" Won has been accused of sexual assault by former partner Cleo Hernandez. The allegation was detailed in a Google Docs post by Hernandez that includes screenshots of text messages, audio files and a written statement that alleges Won forced Hernandez to have sexual relations with him, refused to use contraceptives and was emotionally manipulative.
Since this document was posted, several different organisations have distanced themselves from Won whilst the investigation is pending. The Sentinels team has stated, "We are aware of the current situation regarding Jay "Sinatraa" Won and have launched an investigation internally. While the investigation is pending, he is suspended from the team," meaning Won will not be playing in any upcoming tournaments.
Valorant Champions Tour North America also posted a similar statement, saying, "We are aware of the current situation regarding Jay Won (Sinatraa) and have launched an investigation. Per our existing competitive rules and investigative process, a decision has been made to suspend Won throughout the investigation and therefore he will not be able to compete this weekend."
The San Francisco Shock and the Overwatch League have likewise released statements about the alleged sexual assault. The Shock has stated it "does not condone behaviour of this sort in any way," whereas the Overwatch League has even offered refunds for the Alien Overwatch League MVP skin awarded to Won for achieving the title during his time with the Shock.
Recently, Won has also released a short statement regarding the allegation, saying, "It is clear from Cleo's recent post that she recalls our relationship differently than I do. What we do agree on is that it was unhealthy for the both of us. I apologize to Cleo and regret how things ended, but I never assaulted her in any way. I am fully cooperating with the investigations and providing the full audio and video clips Cleo referenced in her post."
As this is still an active investigation, we will update further as more information is released.
