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NCAA tells EA to remove 13 players from FIFA 16

13 women's national team players have been removed from FIFA 16 after the NCAA told EA that the athletes would be risking their eligibility for college selection if they remained in the game.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

September 18, 2015

1 Min Read
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13 women's national team players have been removed from FIFA 16 after the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) informed EA that the athletes would be risking their eligibility for college selection if they remained in the game. 

In a blog post informing players of the roster change, EA took a firm stance against the NCAA, with the publisher stating outright that it does not agree with its 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," said the publisher. 

"We believe this decision denies these 13 athletes the opportunity to represent their countries in the game, but we have removed them from FIFA 16 to ensure there is no risk to their eligibility."

This isn't the first time EA and the NCAA have locked horns, with the pair having battled it out in court a number of times in recent years following disputes over player likenesses and contract breaches

About the Author

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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