Jay ‘Sinatraa’ Won set to return to competitive scene, wishes to re-join Sentinels
After being suspended by the Sentinels from participating in VALORANT competitive play following sexual allegations in March 2021, former Sentinels player Jay “Sinatraa” Won revealed he was ready to return to professional esports.
“It has been a year since I was forced to withdraw from competitive play. In that time, I have learned a lot about myself and grown as a person,” his tweet reads. “I’m now ready for a return to competitive play and will start with trials this week.”
When asked in a separate tweet which team he was eyeing to play for, the Shoreline-born said that he wanted to re-join his old team.
Sinatraa’s suspension
Last year, Sinatraa was accused of sexually assaulting his girlfriend, Cleo Hernandez. Hernandez posted a nine-page Google document of evidence on Twitter in March to back up the allegation.
Hernandez claimed that the player had manipulated her into having sexual intercourse and gaslighting her throughout the course of their relationship which lasted for nine months.
Upon hearing Sinatraa’s potential case of sexual abuse, both Riot Games and the Sentinels decided to suspend him while the investigation was in still pending.
“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,” the Sentinels announced.
The accusations barred the 22-year-old from participating in VALORANT competitive play for six months until the ban was lifted in September 2021.
Sinatraa’s career before joining Sentinels
Prior to signing with the Sentinels, Sinatraa was an Overwatch League (OWL) professional esports player for the San Francisco Shock (2018-2020). He had a great run with the team, claiming multiple awards from the OWL MVP title, OWL All-Star, in addition to helping them seize victory in the 2019 Overwatch League Grand Finals.
2019 was Sinatraa’s golden year. He participated as a member of Team USA in the 2019 Overwatch World Cup (OWWC) and eventually claimed the competition’s MVP title.
Sinatraa left Overwatch competitive scene in April 2020 for a career in VALORANT with the Sentinels. Both he and the team had a relatively smooth run, becoming one of the most successful teams in the North American region. The two parted ways in mid-2021 following Sinatraa’s sexual abuse allegations.
The former Sentinels has been focusing primarily on live streaming and has yet to participate in any professional events or tournaments. That might not be the case this month as Sinatraa announced a potential return to VALORANT competitive.
Moreover, VALORANT enthusiasts speculated Sinatraa would indeed make his return with the Sentinels after the organization posted a video on YouTube featuring Tyson “TenZ” Ngo, Shahzeb “ShahZaM” Khan, and Sinatraa himself.
While it remains unclear whether Sinatraa will return to his former team or to the professional stage at all, Sinatraa’s return could be a huge factor in helping the franchise regain their confidence following a disappointing finish in the VCT Stage 1 Challengers.
