Manchester City Benjamin Mendy removed from FIFA 22 with him being accused of rape, ahead of his pending trial.
The defender is accused of attacking three women at his home in Cheshire between October 2020 and August 2021. BBC News reports that the alleged attacks, including on one woman under 18, are said to have happened at his home address in Prestbury.
EA said it removed Mendy from the game “the day after the launch of the EA Play early access trial resulting in some players having access to Mendy in packs before the suspension kicked in.”
Mendy appeared in court on September 10, alongside Louis Saha Matturie, 40, of Salford. Mendy was charged with four counts of rape, although neither were asked to enter pleas. A further court appearance is set for November 15, and a trial date has been fixed for January 24.
EA confirmed to Eurogamer that Mendy has been removed from both the Manchester City squad and the French national team in the game, and that his FIFA Ultimate Team card will not appear in packs while he is awaiting trial.
“As Benjamin Mendy has been removed from the active rosters of both Manchester City and the French National team, in FIFA 22 he has also been removed from respective rosters and suspended from appearing in FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) packs and Ultimate Draft while he is awaiting trial,” EA told Eurogamer.