NRG Esports severs ties with Smash Ultimate pro Nairo after claims of sexual relationship with underage player

Esports organisation NRG has severed ties with Smash Ultimate pro player Nairoby “Nairo” Quezada after allegations of sexual abuse. 

Fellow Smash Ultimate player Zack “CaptainZack” Lauth shared a post on 2nd July on Twitlonger, claiming he had a consensual sexual relationship with Nairo, aged 20 at the time, while he was 15. 

He claims Nairo was aware he was aged 15 at the time, and even received payments from the player under an alias in order to stop anyone from discussing their relationship. 

Since the allegations, NRG, who signed Nairo back in 2016, have now severed all ties with the player.

• Read more: Smash Ultimate commentator Cinnpie accused of having relationship with 14-year-old

“This morning we were made aware of disturbing information involving Nairo. We take these situations incredibly seriously. 

“NRG has severed all ties with Nairo,” the statement reads. 

Before CaptainZack’s accusations, Nairo denied the allegations against him on 1st July by responding to a tweet where Zack initially refuted the rumours gathering steam - possibly to protect the payments he was receiving from Nairo. 

“The rumour posted about me today isn’t true,” Nairo wrote.

Nairo has since deleted his Twitter account (Picture: Twitter)

“I confronted Zack about it last year & was extremely furious when he admitted it to me. I went through the proper channels & reported it privately to community leaders. 

“It’s mentally exhausting dealing with this because it’s been a year.”

After CaptainZack's allegations, Nairo deleted his Twitter account only to return briefly to release a statement, apologising to the community and explaining how he's taking time out to reflect on the situation. 

“I’m not making excuses. My behaviour was wrong. I was wrong. I messed up tremendously," Nairo wrote.

“To Zack, I apologise for making you feel like you had to carry a burden all these years. That is not fair to you. I am truly sorry. 

“I am taking some time for self reflection and I am committed to getting help. I need to be better, grow, and learn. As a result, I will not be active on social media. 

“I betrayed the people who trusted the depended upon me - the NRG Esports staff who helped me professionally, and more importantly, the community who has supported and looked up to me for all of these years. 

“I failed you all. I am sorry.”

This isn’t the only claim of sexual abuse within the Smash community, with caster Keitaro recently admitting to having sex with an underage player.