Soccer

Premier League club to continue selecting player despite rape allegations

Club reluctant to suspend player in the absence of formal charges

The Metropolitan Police are conducting two further investigations into the activities of a Premier League player after one case was dropped. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
The Metropolitan Police are conducting two further investigations into the activities of a Premier League player after one case was dropped. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
Nick Ames
Fri Jul 29 2022 - 20:19

The Premier League club whose player has been the subject of three rape allegations has confirmed that it will continue to select him for first-team duty until further notice.

A police investigation into one of those allegations was dropped on Thursday after the Metropolitan Police confirmed they would not be taking action regarding an alleged offence in June 2021.

But two further allegations are still being investigated and the player, who was arrested on July 4th, is on bail until early October, extended from an initial date in August.

The club explained earlier this month that their player denies the allegations and remains available for selection, a stance it reiterated on Friday.

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“As stated previously, we have confirmed that the player denies the allegations,” a statement read.

“The police have issued a statement saying they are not taking any further action on one of the allegations and the player has had his bail extended pending the outcome of their inquiries. There have been no charges laid and the player can fulfil his professional commitments.

“We take our commitments and responsibilities seriously and have followed our safeguarding policies and procedures. We will keep this matter under close consideration and will review further if circumstances change.”

Although the player, who has appeared in pre-season friendlies, is in line to start the Premier League season early next month, the Guardian understands he would immediately be suspended by the club if any charges were brought.

The player was originally arrested on suspicion of a rape against a woman that was alleged to have happened in June this year. He was taken into custody and further arrested on suspicion of two incidents of rape that were alleged to have taken place in April 2021 and June 2021 against a different woman. The second of those two allegations has been dropped.

This month the Guardian reported that the player’s club was made aware of a rape allegation against him last autumn.

That allegation was reported to the Metropolitan Police last August. In March the force opened an investigation into that and another alleged rape by the player of the same woman that she had reported in February. The player continued to play in his club’s first team last season. - Guardian