Soccer Player Removed from Pro Evolution Soccer for Badmouthing China

Another important sports figure has spoken out against China, although this one will probably get a whole lot less of a reaction than when “Blitzchung” did it, because he’s a real-life sports star, powerful, and also kind of a jerk himself. I’m talking about Mesut Özil, who spoke out against China’s current genocide of the Uighurs by saying this:

“East Turkistan, the bleeding wound of the Ummah, resisting against the persecutors trying to separate them from their religion. They burn their Qurans. They shut down their mosques. They ban their schools. They kill their holy men. The men are forced into camps and their families are forced to live with Chinese men. The women are forced to marry Chinese men.”

Kind of true. It’s also kind of true that Mesut here is close friends with Turkey’s president, Erdoğan, and if you know anything about Turkey’s situation right now and good ol’ Erdoğan, you’d know he’s not exactly opposed to the whole ‘genocide’ thing himself. And you sure as heck don’t see Mesut saying anything about the Kurds.

...Anyway, you’re probably wondering why I’m bringing this up on a gaming website. The answer is simple: in response to his words, NetEase, the Chinese company that often publishes western games in the east, said they’re going to remove Mesut Özil from China’s version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2020.

“The German player Özil 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!”

NetEase said something similar to Blitzchung when he made the far more bold and uncomplicated proclamation for a free Hong Kong, so, I think it has less to do with violating the spirit of love and peace and more to do with the fact NetEase just loves China.

The world sucks.