Counter Strike: Global Offensive
German broadcaster ProSieven MAXX has cancelled its weekend coverage of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in wake of the recent Munich shooting. Valve

German broadcaster ProSieben MAXX has cancelled its weekend eSports coverage following last week's tragic shooting in Munich that left nine people dead and 35 others injured. According to German CS: GO site 99Damage, the television channel decided to pull its broadcast of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive esports league ELeague's semi-finals and finals that were scheduled to air on Friday (29 July) and Saturday.

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"Today, ELeague's show has been canceled and the TV channel won't show its last episode," Matthias Remmert, CEO of gaming marketing agency, Freaks 4U, which promotes Eleague's German broadcasts, said in a statement to 99Damage.

"I think it's sad that such an event takes away the chance to show every non-esports fan how awesome this sport can be. It was a beautiful journey to represent the German esports scene in TV and am thankful to every single viewer, especially those who worked closely with us to give feedback."

Mousesports, Germany's national CS:GO esports team was scheduled to take on Polish team Virtus.pro in the semi-finals this weekend.

According to multiple media reports, the 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman, Ali David Sonboly, was an avid fan of first person shooters, including Counter-Strike: Source - a game that Robert Heimberger, president of the state crime office, referred to as one "played by nearly every known rampage killer".

Home to Europe's biggest gaming market and the fifth largest games market in the world, Germany has seen several games having parts of its content altered or altogether banned over the years due to their graphic content, including Counter-Strike: Source, Mortal Kombat, Grand Theft Auto and South Part: the Stick of Truth.

"We cannot ignore — and I don't know the solution, but without a doubt, and this was the case in this instance — that the glorifying of violence in internet games has a damaging effect on the development of young people," said Thomas de Maizière, the German interior minister, the New York Times reports.