FIFA player ratings ‘correlate with racial stereotypes’ claims study; EA Sports say ‘no correlation’ with skill and race | Football News

FIFA’s player ratings “directly correlate” with racial stereotypes with black players more likely to be stronger and faster but less technically gifted, a study has claimed.

A joint paper between academics from Coventry and Leicester universities analysed data from FIFA 20, released in September 2019, assessing characteristics of the top 100 players in the game.

The study narrowed that list down to 88 outfield players and found black players were on average assessed to be more than 10 per cent faster than their white counterparts as well as physically stronger and more aggressive.

In the majority of technical traits, including passing, set-piece and shooting technique, white players ranked higher on average.

Paul Ian Campbell and Marcus Maloney, who wrote the study, told The Conversation: “Put simply, our study found that the aggregate scores for the digital players’ sporting attributes directly correlated with the racial stereotypes associated with black and white footballers in real life.

“It follows that the racial differences present within the coding mean that, on average, black and white digital players would feel very different to the gamer who is controlling them.

“In this sense, players of Fifa 20 could well learn racial difference – and often from a very young age – through seeing and feeling digital players perform differently.”

EA Sports disputed the findings, saying the study had focused on a small subset of the game’s player database, which is populated by a network of scouts employed by the company.

They said: “When accounting for position, there is no correlation between skin tone and skill in our game. The data presented within this study provides a narrow and incomplete view of overall player ratings.

“The study does not control for player position, which is crucial when determining a player’s final attributes. Racism has no place in the world of football and has no place in any of our games.

“Furthermore, the study accounted for 88 of approximately 17,000 players found within EA Sports Fifa 20. In our most recent game, EA Sports Fifa23, this total is now over 19,000.

“Racism has no place in the world of football, and has no place in any of our games. While we acknowledge that biases continue to exist in sport, it is our duty as a leader in global football to stand against them.”