FIFA 17 faced to be banned in Russia for violating gay Propaganda law
EA Sports introduced a rainbow kit into the game to back the Rainbow Laces campaign, which was started by LGBT rights charity Stonewall and supports the community in sport. Players are able to claim a free rainbow kit to show their support for the campaign in-game, in both singleplayer and multiplayer matches. But communist MPs are now pushing for a ban on FIFA 17, arguing that it violates Russia’s law against gay propaganda because it “invites users to support the English football premier league’s Rainbow Laces action, a massive campaign in support of LGBT”.
In a letter published in the newspaper Izvestia, Russian MPs have called for FIFA 17 to be banned over what they see as “gay propaganda,” according to a report from The Guardian. Communist MP Valery Rashkin is quoted in the Izvestia article, saying that EA should “introduce changes to the programming code or the age classification of this information product, and if it refuses, adopt corresponding restrictive measures.”
United Russia MP Irinia Rodnina told Russian paper Ivestia that authorities should “verify the possibility of distributing this game on the territory of the Russian Federation” because “Every state has its internal laws and order; they need to be obeyed”. Russia introduced the controversial gay propaganda law in 2013, which is “for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating for a Denial of Traditional Family Values”. Earlier this year a Russian YouTuber was sent to prison for playing Pokemon GO in a church, charged with “inciting hatred and offending religious sensibilities”. And just yesterday Russia banned.
EA showed though it’s unlikely that the company will bow to the demands. Dragon Age Inquisition included an openly transgender character, and EA-owned Maxis released a patch for The Sims 4 which added further gender customization options, including the addition of gender neutral clothing, voice style, and personality types. It’s also worth noting that the Premier League itself supports Rainbow Laces, with a large advertising push both online and at events.
