Riot continues to wield its banhammer with precision, taking down two of its biggest pro-players for their recent toxic play. They won't be eliminated from the game permanently, but they will have to sit on the digital bench for the next six months while they think about what they've done.
This is interesting timing for both players - Nukeduck and Mithy - both of whom left and then reformed part of the Ninjas in Pyjamas team. However, both have - according to Riot - been exhibiting aggressive and toxic behaviour in games and are therefore being hit with lengthy bans.
According to the Riot breakdown of the action, both players have been very abusive to other players and their teammates in recent months, with Mithy being reported in upwards of 30 per cent of the games he took part in, mostly for racial slurs.
Because this type of play is forbidden in the Summoner's Code, Riot is enacting penalties, which in this case will mean a 6 month game ban and suspension from the Championship and Challenger series tournaments through to the end of the year.
With this news in mind, it's no surprise that Ninjas in Pyjamas has now officially released the pair from its organisation, meaning if they want to work their way back up, they're going to have to do it on their own.
Mostly the news of the bans has been welcomed by players and fans, as it shows no matter how high in the rankings you are, or how much you support and advertise the game as being fun, it's the gameplay that matters to Riot and it won't hesitate to kick you to the curb if you do something that harms its brand.