Communist MPs are now pushing for a ban on FIFA 17, arguing that it violates Russia’s law against gay propaganda

Creators EA Sports introduced a rainbow kit into the game to back the Rainbow Laces campaign, which was started by LGBT rights charity Stonewall and supports the community in sport.

But communist MPs are now pushing for a ban on FIFA 17, arguing that it violates Russia’s law against gay propaganda because it “invites users to support the English football premier league’s Rainbow Laces action, a massive campaign in support of LGBT”.

MPs from President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party and the Communist Party sent a letter to authorities, urging them to take action because propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations can cause “harm to children’s health and development”.

It said: “The FIFA multiplatform video game, developed by EA Canada, invites users to support the action of the English Premier League’s “Rainbow shoelaces” action — a large-scale campaign in support of the LGBT community.

“Meanwhile, according to the law the ‘protection of children from information harmful to their health and development’ … includes information that promotes non-traditional sexual relations.”

Creators EA Sports introduced a rainbow kit into the gameSource:Supplied

United Russia MP Irinia Rodnina told Russian paper Ivestia that authorities should “verify the possibility of distributing this game on the territory of the Russian Federation” because “Every state has its internal laws and order; they need to be obeyed”.

Communist MP Valery Rashkin added that after the investigation they should order EA to “introduce changes to the programming code or the age classification of this information product, and if it refuses, adopt corresponding restrictive measures”.

Russia introduced the controversial gay propaganda law in 2013, which is “for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating for a Denial of Traditional Family Values”.

It faced backlash worldwide and has been condemned by several organisations, including the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

It prohibits anyone from coming out in public or supporting LBGT people in public, holding Pride parades, saying that LGBT relationships are the same as heterosexual relationships.

Earlier this year a Russian YouTuber was sent to prison for playing Pokemon GO in a church, charged with “inciting hatred and offending religious sensibilities”.

This story first appeared on The Sun