A few days after the Ajax departure of ex-football director Marc Overmars, EA SPORTS has removed his icon objects from FIFA 22 Ultimate Team (FUT).
Benjamin Mendy, Mason Greenwood – and now Marc Overmars. The list of discarded players and ex-players in FIFA 22 is getting longer. In the case of Mendy and Greenwood, removal had followed arrest in each case, and in the case of Overmars, the EA action was preceded by a sexism scandal.
The long-time director of football at Dutch top club Ajax Amsterdam had attracted negative attention by sending “inappropriate messages” to female staff members “over an extended period of time”. As a result, Overmars himself had drawn consequences and resigned from his post.
Removed from packs, SBCs and drafts
This certainly only forestalled the 48-year-old’s dismissal from Ajax, the capital club would probably have had no other option. Two days after his Amsterdam departure, EA SPORTS also reacted to the former Oranje international’s repeated missteps and removed him from FUT 22.
His icon objects are neither to be pulled from the packs nor available via the transfer market or draft. FUT players who are in possession of such a card are of course allowed to keep it – it is their property after all. The developer has also already taken precautions with regard to the price.
According to the latest in-game announcement, the price range on the transfer market has been fixed “until further notice”. However, the company leaves it open how many coins a sale will bring in.
EA SPORTS is taking action this time regardless of possible legal sanctions. The publisher had already proceeded in a similar way with Marco van Basten in FIFA 20, when he reenacted the Nazi salute on live television.
Is EA also cracking down on Zouma?
Overmars’ icon cards come with overall ratings of 86, 88 and 90 in the various versions. The former Arsenal and Barca professional impresses in FUT 22 primarily with his high pace and dribbling qualities, but will be seen much less often on the virtual pitch in the future.
And the next exclusion could already be on the horizon: The first rumours about West Ham defender Kurt Zouma are doing the rounds. Footage of the Frenchman had recently surfaced, showing him cruelty to animals. However, it remains to be seen whether EA SPORTS will also punish these misdemeanours.
