Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has been removed from China’s version of the Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 video game following his criticism of China’s treatment of Uighur Muslims.
The Guardian reports he posted an Instagram message with the East Turkestan republic flag in the background — a region now known as the China-controlled Xinjiang province — describing Uighur Muslims in the area as “warriors who resist persecution.”
Ozil, who is a Muslim, called Uighurs “warriors who resist persecution”.
“[In China] Qurans are burned, mosques were closed down, Islamic theological schools, madrasas were banned, religious scholars were killed one by one. Despite all this, Muslims stay quiet.”
He also criticised both China and the silence of Muslims in response.
The post has sparked anger in China, with local Arsenal fans burning their football shirts and calling for the club to fire Özil.
NetEase, which publishes the PES franchise in China, said the former Germany player had been removed from three existing titles in the country.
“The German player Ozil posted an extreme statement about China on social media,” it said in a statement.
“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.”
Arsenal said the club is “apolitical” and China’s foreign ministry claimed 31-year-old Ozil – who is of Turkish origin – was “deceived by fake news”.
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Rights groups say about a million people – mostly from the Muslim Uighur community – are thought to have been detained without trial in high-security prison camps, being mistreated, forced to swear loyalty to President Xi Jinping, and are even being detained without trial in high-security prison camps.
China has frequently denied this, claiming Muslims in the region are being educated in “vocational training centres” in an effort to counter violent religious extremism.
Back in October, Riot Games apologised for an error with its automated filters that was accidentally censoring any discussion related to Uighur Muslims in chat through the League of Legends client.
Earlier that month, Blizzard banned professional Hearthstone player Chung ‘Blitzchung’ Ng Wai from its competitions after he spoke out in support of Hong Kong protestors during a post-match interview. Blizzard later reduced his punishment but did not repeal the ban.
