Fifa video games should be stopped after corruption scandal, says councillor

Council should discourage people from buying the game and ‘put a stop to FIFA video game tournaments popping up across the borough’, Councillor Awale Olad said

Visitors try out the game 'FIFA 15' at the EA Sports stand at the 2014 Gamescom gaming trade fair on August 14, 2014 in Cologne, Germany (Getty Images)

The chairman of Camden Council’s culture scrutiny committee wants to stop residents playing the hugely popular Fifa game in response to the scandal at Fifa’s governing body.

Awale Olad, who represents Holborn & Covent Garden, said that people in the borough should boycott the games and tournaments should be stopped from being held there, reports the Camden New Journal.

A number of Fifa tournaments take place in Camden, often held in community centres and youth clubs, as well as official contests held by pubs and bars.

Olad will be raising the issue during a full meeting of councillors on Monday. That session is used for councillors to ask members of the cabinet about issues facing the borough, and they must answer members’ questions.

The councillor will ask the culture chief Abdul Hai: “What does he intend to do to discourage local stakeholders such as bars and community centres from hosting FIFA video game tournaments in light of the recent corruption scandal engulfing the governing body and its affiliates?”

Olad said that residents should be encouraged to boycott the games indefinitely, as well as asking people not to hold tournaments.

The Fifa games are one part of the body’s “Branded Licensing Programme”, which in all generated £47 million between 2007 and 2010. Though the game is made by EA Sports, Fifa’s licensing means that it can use the likenesses and names of most of the world’s clubs and players.

Olad told the Camden New Journal that he didn’t play the games in his youth, and that was more of a fan of Championship Manager, which simulates coaching a team rather than allowing players to control it.