You must not watch sports, this is how every sports scene is. There is a shift right now that started after Ted Lasso where athletes and coaches are getting sick of the negativity from the media. Hopefully that leaks over to esports but that will take a long time.
As a pre-rework Irelia OTP, she was never balanced. There has yet to be a champion as fun. She had tough match ups against a few champions but not many.