13 female footballers removed from FIFA 16 following NCAA warning

EA disagrees

Thirteen female football players have been removed from FIFA 16 following NCAA concerns that being in the game may jeopardise the athletes’ eligibility for “collegiate athletics”.

North America’s National Collegiate Athletic Association contacted Electronic Arts and stated that 13 players were currently attending, or likely to attend, NCAA-sanctioned schools in the U.S..

“Of the hundreds of players on these rosters, 13 are currently attending or likely to attend NCAA-sanctioned schools in the US,” said EA in a statement. “The NCAA recently informed EA Sports that these 13 student-athletes would be risking their eligibility for collegiate athletics by being included in FIFA 16.”

“We do not agree with this position. All rights were secured following standard protocol with national governing bodies and federations, and none of these NCAA student-athletes or potential student athletes were to be individually compensated by EA Sports for their inclusion in the game.”

Although EA disagrees with the claims, in order to avoid any “risk to their eligibility”, Canadian players Kadeisha Buchanan, Jessie Fleming, Ashley Lawrence, Janine Beckie, Rebecca Quinn, Sura Yekka, Mexico’s Tanya Samarzich, Greta Espinoza, Christina Murillo, Amanda Perez, Emily Alvarado, Maria Sanchez, and Celia Jiménez from Spain have now been removed from the game. 

FIFA 16 will be available on September 22 for PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.