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Police are investigating allegations of rape and sexual assault made against a Premier League footballer by four women. Despite the allegations dating back to 2021, the player has continued to play for his club, which has caused distress to the women involved. In fact, one woman stated that the lack of action taken by the club and governing body, the Football Association, contributed to her attempting to take her own life.
The BBC carried out an investigation in November of last year, which revealed that out of 20 Premier League clubs, seven had either players or managers who were investigated by police for sexual offences since 2020. The lack of definitive regulations and policies on how to deal with criminal allegations has caused public concern. In contrast, the American National Football League and Major League Baseball have publicly available policies to deal with such allegations.
The identities of the women and the footballer remain confidential. However, one of the women, Kira, went to the police in August 2021 and then contacted the FA, Premier League and the club the following month. She was worried that the footballer would continue playing whilst under investigation. The club said they could not discuss their allegations for legal reasons, and the Premier League directed her to the FA. More than four months later, the FA told her in an email that it could take ‘no further action’ as the alleged behaviour did not breach its regulations.
There isn’t anything similar for players accused of sexual or domestic violence that takes place beyond the football environment. The absence of overarching rules is causing legal difficulties for football clubs, who do not know how to deal with a player facing such charges. Some clubs choose to suspend players, whilst others do not. In July of this year, Benjamin Mendy successfully sued Manchester City for unpaid wages during suspension, after being charged with rape and sexual assault in 2021, but found not guilty.
A spokesperson for the Met announced that the investigation is ongoing. The club and the Premier League made no comment on an ongoing police investigation into the matter but stated that they take sexual misconduct seriously. The FA has stated that it takes appropriate safeguarding risk assessment and would take appropriate action if there was a risk of harm to children, within football-related environments
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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