Russia might BAN FIFA 17 for promoting 'Gay Propaganda' with Rainbow Laces support

RUSSIAN MP's believe a FIFA 17 update could cause "harm to children's health" for promoting "Gay Propaganda" with a recent Ranbow laces Ultimate Team kit.

Posted Thursday, December 08, 2016 by Dailystar.co.uk

Russia might BAN FIFA 17 for promoting 'Gay Propaganda' with Rainbow Laces support
Russian MP's believe FIFA 17's Rainbow Laces kit promoted "gay propaganda"

Russian MP's are not happy with FIFA 17 and have accused developers EA Sports of promoting "gay propaganda" with a recent update.

This follows the release of a piece of Ultimate Team content which supported LGBT rights group Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign to combat homophobia in sport, with a free rainbow-coloured kit.

In response, communist MP's have written to the country's communications watchdog, suggesting that the update was a breach of a 2013 law that banned "gay propaganda".

The 2013 law states that such propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations can cause "harm to children's health and development."

In the letter, sent from MPs from the President Vladimir Putin's United Russia Party and the Communist Party, it read: "The FIFA multiplatform video game, developed by EA Canada, invites users to support the action of the English Premier League's "Rainbow shoelaces" action - a large-scale campaign in support of the LGBT community.

"Meanwhile, according to the law the 'protection of children from information harmful to their health and development'…includes information that promotes non-traditional sexual relations."

Communist Party MP Valery Rashkin told Russian newspaper Izvestia: "It is necessary to verify the computer game FIFA 17 for compliance with the stated age group and [ensure] the game [is] in accordance with Russian legislation".

Rashkin also suggested that EA Sports should "introduce changes to the programming code or the age classification of this information product,"

Should EA Sports refuse, the govern could "adopt corresponding restrictive measures" on the game.

Another Russian MP, Irina Rodnina, a former figure skater who won three Olympic gold medals, also told the newspaper that authorities needed to "verify the possibility of distributing this game on the territory of the Russian Federation".

Also adding that, "Every state has its internal laws and order; they need to be obeyed."

In response to the shocking accusations levelled at FIFA 17, Amnesty International told The Independent that criticism of FIFA 17 was the latest example of Russian "intolerance" of gay people.

Denis Krivosheev, the charity's Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director told the paper:

"Given the extremely hostile environment for LGBTI people in Russia, this isn't entirely surprising but it's a worrying sign that Russia's official culture is growing ever more intolerant of all sexual and political non-conformity.

"With the Russian World Cup only 18 months away, it really is time for the authorities to roll back their homophobic legislation and discriminatory practices, and to set about hosting the world's premier football tournament in a spirit of tolerance and hospitality toward all."