A professional FIFA player has decided to retire after being banned from the game for using a “your mum” joke.
As noted by Eurogamer, 25-year-old Harry “FNATIC HARRY” Hesketh made the joke towards Anders Vejrgang, a 14-year-old player who has made a name for himself in the scene. Hesketh made the joke regarding Verjrgang’s mum during a match, which prompted the FIFA publisher to ban the long-time pro.
Anders Vejrgang is something of a child prodigy when it comes to FIFA, so it’s no surprise that the teenager managed to bag a match with the FIFA pro. Unfortunately for Hesketh, he got a little too excited during the match, paying the price for going too far with his gags. Hesketh has since addressed the situation in a video posted to his YouTube channel, discussing his relationship with the teenager as well as the joke.
“Straight after the game, I reached out to him saying I didn’t send anyone [to give Anders hate],” says Hesketh in the video.
“And after it when we were talking about his reaction and stuff I made one distasteful comment, right. I said something like his fingers might be quick, but mine were longer and I made a reference to his mother.
“And I know that a UK base is going to be like, ‘well it’s a mum joke, who hasn’t made a mum joke’ and try to defend me but don’t defend me. At the end of the day, he is 14, it’s a distasteful comment and so for that, I apologise directly to Anders and his mother.”
While the joke does seem to be an error of judgement, EA hasn’t taken the situation lightly. EA made the following announcement:
“FNATIC HARRY: suspended in response to language used during a Twitch broadcast on December 12th, 2020 in reference to an opponent’s immediate family member. Due to a prior Final Warning for an Official Rules and Code of Conduct violation, the penalty, in this case, is escalated to a one qualifier suspension.”
The ban specifically affects participation in the Europe Regional Qualifier, which as a result has lead Hesketh to early retirement. He proclaims that the penalty for the joke doesn’t match the offence, going as far as to say that “racist comments” would get the same penalty.
Hesketh stated that “This is the biggest risk of my life, bar none. If I’m not competing, I’m not competing for a team. I’m deleting a three-year contract… my main income.”
What do you think of the FIFA pro being banned for a “your mum” joke? Too far, or the right consequence?
Shop With GameByte!
Don’t forget you can find some of these great games and more through the new GameByte Shop! The GameByte Shop is stocked up with the latest games, merch and accessories. We might even have a new-gen console or two! Find the shop here and sign up to our newsletter to be notified of our console drops. Please note the GameByte Shop is available for UK customers only.
Featured Image Credit: EA