March 02, (THEWILL) – Video Game developer EA Sports has stated that the Russian national team and all Russian clubs would be removed from FIFA 22, FIFA Mobile, and FIFA Online games.
EA made the statement on Wednesday afternoon, only days after real-life FIFA and UEFA announced that Russia’s national team and players will be banned until further notice, as THEWILL reported.
Wednesday’s announcement did not specifically mention the inescapable FIFA 23, which has yet to be officially confirmed.
The formal statement, released via the official EA Sports Twitter account, read: “EA Sports stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and like so many voices across the world of football, calls for peace and an end to the invasion of Ukraine.
“In line with our partners at FIFA and UEFA, EA Sports has initiated processes to remove the Russian national team and all Russian clubs from EA Sports FIFA products including: FIFA 22, FIFA Mobile and FIFA Online. We’re also actively evaluating related changes to other areas of our games.
“We will keep our communities up to date on any actions taken, and thank players for their patience as we work through these updates.”
Numerous sporting bodies have banned Russian athletes and teams from competing, or have relocated matches and tournaments outside of Russia. National teams and sides around the world, mainly in Europe, have also refused to play Russia until further notice.
This week, UEFA moved the Champions League final from Saint Petersburg, Russia, and banned Russian teams from all international football.
Outside of football, the NHL is one of numerous leagues that have suspended business relationships with Russia. The Russian Grand Prix in 2022 has likewise been cancelled.
Companies in the games industry have responded by making big donations to humanitarian organisations and providing assistance to employees based in Ukraine.
Ukraine, on the other hand, has now asked the video game industry to do more. To put more pressure on Russia, the country’s deputy prime minister wrote an open letter to “to all game development companies and esports platforms” requesting that they disable Russian and Belarusian accounts, cancel events, and ban players.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
