Adam Johnson: Child sex offender won't be removed from EA's Fifa 16 due to 'technical issue'

EA has confirmed that disgraced footballer Adam Johnson, who has been convicted of child sex offences, cannot be removed entirely from computer game Fifa 16 due to "technical issues". He has already been removed from Sega's Football Manager 2016 and will be removed from Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 later this month.

In a statement an EA spokesperson said: ​"We released a team update last month [February] to remove Adam Johnson; however due to technical issues it is not possible to delete him from everyone's version." A Konami spokesperson told Digital Spy that Johnson will be removed from PES in mid-March as part of a the game's monthly update.

"Johnson should be removed from Fifa 16," said Gabrielle Shaw, CEO of National Association for People Abused in Childhood to The Sun. "This game is played by millions of children a day, so EA Games has a responsibility to act."

The former Sunderland player faces between four and 10 years in prison having been found guilty of sexual activity with a girl aged 15 in January 2015. He was sacked by Sunderland football club in February after pleading guilty to the charges, and will be sentenced later in March.

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