Ozil Removed From Chinese Version Of PES 2020
Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has been removed from China’s version of video game Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) 2020 following comments he made about the treatment of Uighur Muslims in the country.
Ozil, who is a Muslim went berserk on social media last week, condemning the detention of over a million Uighurs in China.
Ozil had tweeted in Turkish: "Korans are being burnt... Mosques are being shut down... Muslim schools are being banned... Religious scholars are being killed one by one... Brothers are forcefully being sent to camps.
"The Muslims are silent. Their voice is not heard."
China have vehemently denied the allegations, insisting instead that Uighurs are being educated in vocational training centres.
Arsenal have come out to distance themselves from Ozil’s comments.
In the wake of the controversy, Chinese state television scrapped Arsenal’s game against Manchester City last Saturday from its programme line-up, instead replacing it with Tottenham Hotspurs’ away fixture at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
NetEase, which publishes the Chinese version of Pro Evolution Soccer, have now confirmed the 2014 FIFA World Cup winner will not be appearing in its 2020 version of the video game.
In a statement on Weibo, NetEase said: “The German player Ozil posted an extreme statement about China on social media. The speech hurt the feelings of Chinese fans and violated the sports spirit of love and peace. We do not understand, accept or forgive this!”
It is yet not clear whether Ozil will be added to the international versions of PES 2020.
Former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure, who had a spell in the Chinese second division recently, condemned Ozil’s actions, urging him to “stick to football”, while Unites States secretary of state Mike Pompeo, has defended the former Germany international.
