The MPL Philippines has decided to impose sanctions and issue warnings on the players who got involved in different controversies in just the opening week of Season 7.
In a statement posted on Thursday night, March 25, the league revealed that concerns were raised last Sunday over "inappropriate posts and comments" in social media, prompting them to make an investigation and hand down punishments.
"The MPL-PH committee began investigating these allegations upon the related players, and their posts or comments violate Section 13.2 Unprofessional Behavior and Subsection 13.2.5 Statements regarding MPL, Moonton, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, of the MPL Regular Season Rules," it said.
"The MPL-PH committee decided to give internal heavy punishments and serious warning to all the related players and staff," it added.
"Team Members must always be professional, especially given their social media standing, their status as a professional player of the MPL, and icons of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang community."
Although the MPL did not specify who were the ones involved, some players came under fire in social media for their actions during the first week.
CJ "Ribo" Ribo and Allan "Lusty" Castromayor of world champion and reigning MPL titlist Bren Esports, and Billy "Z4pnu" Alfonso of Execration published now-deleted posts that raised suspicions of match-fixing and gambling following Bren's losses to Onic PH (2-1) and Nexplay Esports (2-0).
Ribo, who posted a picture showing bundles of money, explained that it came from his business with her girlfriend and blasted the fans who alleged him of throwing games, albeit, in a rude way.
Z4pnu through his YouTube vlog on Thursday night bared that he was slapped with a suspension.
Former MPL league operations head Joy Roland De Vera Calulo, who is popularly known as "Ginoong Valdez" in the community, expressed his concern over match-fixing/gambling allegations and said that Moonton as well as Bren should make a statement condemning such action.
"With this issue, I believe Moonton as well as Bren should make a statement about this (match-fixing/gambling), saying that they are not taking it lightly because it's not just affecting MPL but esports as a whole," he told Manila Bulletin in an interview.
Manila Bulletin tried to contact Bren for a statement but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.
Nexplay Esports' Tristan "Yawi" Cabrera, meanwhile, was also criticized for the choke pose he made on live broadcast after their 2-0 sweep of Bren.
NXP manager Jimnest Mendoza, through coach Setsuna "Dogie" Ignacio's vlog, bared that Yawi was fined.
Moonton has made it clear that they are not okay with the rude gesture since it became notorious in Season 6 during the battle for third between Execration and Onic.
Gerald "Dlar" Trinchera did it during the course of the series and Jeff "S4gitnu" Subang answered back with the same act after Execration completed a reverse 3-2 sweep.
"Any violation of the MPL-PH rules and limits will not be tolerated. Meanwhile, MPL-PH committee will work with all teams to strengthen the management of players and staff to prevent similar things from happening again," MPL PH concluded its statement.