An 18-year-old Irishman has been permanently banned from all games by Electronics Arts, including FIFA 21. The player was so upset in May 2020 about a loss in FIFA 20 that he racially abused the real player Ian Wright, whose character he had played with, on Instagram. The court showed leniency, EA did not.
This was the incident:
- In May 2020, the boy was playing FIFA 20: He played as Arsenal and used, among others, football legend Ian Wright, the striker is playable as an icon in FIFA.
- When he lost the game, he went on Instagram and racially insulted the real player Ian Wright in direct messages.
- 57-year-old football legend Wright posted the insults he received on Twitter on May 11, 2020: The teenager had written to him “He is a f***ing monkey,” followed by racist slurs. There were a total of 20 messages.
- The worst message was probably: “You are like a 65-year-old. If I get the coronavirus, I will cough in your face and give you the death penalty. When I see you, I will bring you to your deathbed.”
- The player was subsequently sued – Now the verdict is known.
Young, immature, naive – Court shows leniency
This is the court’s ruling: The court did not acquit the teenager but ruled leniently: There was no criminal conviction.
The defendant showed credible remorse and also donated 500 euros to an anti-racism network. An important role in the mild ruling also played the fact that Ian Wright had already forgiven the player, ruled the court. The teenager had sent Wright a handwritten apology, which he accepted.
The teenager’s defense attorney stated: The actions of his client occurred “only in the heat of the moment”.
The court agreed and stated: The defendant is a young, immature, and somewhat naive person.
EA bans 18-year-old from everything for life
This is EA’s punishment: However, EA is not so merciful. They have permanently banned the teenager from all games, not just the FIFA games, but from all games operated by EA.
It is said by EA: Ian Wright is part of the EA Sports family. He has been the victim of a terrible racial attack. This behavior is unacceptable at any level.
This is what Ian Wright says: He was initially disappointed by the court’s ruling. He said: “A person wishes me dead because of my skin color. No statement from a judge about “naivety” or “immaturity” will ever allow me to accept that. So: Yes, I am disappointed. I am tired. We are all tired.”
Wright was then pleased with EA’s ban in his podcast: “He cannot log in himself anymore. He might go out and play with his friends, but he is permanently banned. And you know what? Even if that is just something small, it is a tiny piece being chipped away from the mountain of racism. It shows that there are consequences.”
Wright praises EA: They have behaved wonderfully and changed their entire policy. They even apologized to him, Wright says, which he finds strange. But EA insisted on apologizing: Because it was their platform and they are responsible for it. Everyone should feel safe there.
Why is the boy’s behavior so stupid? The judge calls the behavior “immature and naive”: But insulting a real person because one is unable to score a goal with their character in FIFA 20 could simply be called stupid.
FIFA is known for causing outbursts of anger:
- Sometimes controllers break in the process
- sometimes people scream wildly around
- sometimes one says, a secret conspiracy of EA, that momentum is behind it
But going on Instagram and racially attacking someone for one’s own inability filled with hatred, even wishing them death through Covid, is a disgrace to any gamer.
When talking about “stupid actions of teenagers in FIFA,” it usually concerns microtransactions. Because having icons like Ian Wright on your team can get quite expensive:
17-year-old opens packs for nearly 5000 euros – with his father’s credit card
