FIFA 19 launched to some solid reviews, but not without controversy. Currently, the publisher behind the soccer simulator, EA Sports, is considering replacing Cristiano Ronaldo as the game's cover athlete after rape allegations have been made. Kathryn Mayorga has accused the athlete of raping her while in Las Vegas in 2009. At the time of this writing, Ronaldo is still the cover star, as he denies the allegation.

In fact, not only did Ronaldo refer to her accusation as "fake news," but his attorneys have threatened to sue the German magazine Der Spiegel for publishing her claims in a "blatantly illegal" manner. Although the FIFA 19 cover star is denying the accusation, a spokesperson for EA revealed they are monitoring the situation: "We have seen the concerning report that details allegations against Cristiano Ronaldo. We are closely monitoring the situation, as we expect cover athletes and ambassadors to conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with EA's values."

Furthermore, the retail giant Nike also has a contract with Ronaldo, and the company revealed on Thursday that it was "deeply concerned" by the situation and plans to monitor it as well. It's also worth mentioning that the Portugal national team did not list Ronaldo on its roster for games later this month when it revealed its roster Thursday.

FIFA 19 Reviews

Ronaldo was the cover star of the FIFA franchise last year as well, and he is one the highest paid athletes in the world, recently signing a deal with the Italian squad Juventus. If an investigation proves that Ronaldo is guilty, it seems that EA Sports is ready to remove the superstar from the game as well. However, at this time, not much is publicly known about the allegations.

Considering the game was one of September's biggest events, it's likely many already own the title, so how the change would be implemented remains to be seen. We'll monitor the situation, and be sure to let you know the latest, Ranters.

FIFA 19 is available now on PC, PS3, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter