Pro ‘Tekken’ player fired for saying short men “don’t have human rights”

An alternate translation indicates the statement may have had a slightly different meaning

Professional Tekken player Kana “Tanukana” Tani has been released from their team due to apparent comments claiming that short people don’t deserve human rights. 

Tani was previously a part of Cyclops Athlete Gaming, but said in a February 15 stream that “men who are under 170 cm don’t have human rights”. As noted by Kotaku, the Japanese word for human rights is “jinken (人権)”, but in video games it also refers to an item that all players need to have. So debate has ensued in regards to exactly what Tani said in their stream.

Since then, Cyclops Athelete Gaming issued a statement in regards to the Tekken player, saying: “We’ve confirmed that on February 15, Tanukana, who is a member of Cyclops Athlete Gaming, made an improper remark on a stream. Regarding this matter, we would like to offer a deep apology to the fans, sponsors, and everyone else who supports us.”

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In a now deleted tweet, Tani did apologise for how she apparently poorly expressed her appreciation for tall people, adding that “it was pointed out to me that my stream contained hate speech,” (thanks again, Kotaku).

Tekken X Street Fighter On Hold
Street Fighter X Tekken Gameplay Screenshot Credit: Capcom / Bandai Namco

Tani has now released a more formal apology on Twitter, which loosely translates to: “I am very sorry to all the fans who support me on a daily basis, to all the sponsors such as Red Bull, and to my selfish remarks, which caused unpleasant feelings and a great deal of inconvenience.”

“I take it seriously that my remarks during the delivery are unacceptable and that my lack of awareness has led to it. There is no excuse for disappointing you in this matter,” Tani added.

“As a professional esports player and as a member of society, I deeply regret and apologise for betraying you.”

Cyclops Athlete Gaming later said it was terminating Tani’s contract, and all sponsors were taken down from her page.

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In other news, Majora’s Mask has received a new Nintendo Switch trailer ahead of the game’s release next week.

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