The CPS is reviewing evidence against a Premier League footballer accused of rape, as investigations continue into multiple allegations.
London: The Metropolitan Police has handed over a complete evidence file about a Premier League footballer accused of rape to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). They’re now deciding whether to charge him. The police are still looking into reports of sexual offenses that happened between 2021 and 2023.
This comes after a BBC investigation that talked to five women who accused the player, known as Player X, of serious offenses like rape and sexual assault. Even with these allegations, he’s still been playing for his club.
One of the women, Kira, reported him back in August 2021. She’s urging the CPS to make a decision soon because the whole situation has taken a huge emotional toll on her. She mentioned that the lack of action from both the club and the Football Association (FA) made her feel hopeless, even leading her to consider taking her own life.
Kira expressed her frustration, saying she didn’t want to live in a world where talented people could ignore serious allegations. Another woman shared that if Player X had been suspended after the first report, she might not have been assaulted later on.
The BBC found that since 2020, seven out of 20 Premier League clubs have had players or staff investigated for sexual offenses. Both the FA and Premier League claim they take these matters very seriously.
Player X was first arrested in July 2022 after a woman reported him. He faced more allegations from other women in the following months. Due to privacy laws, the BBC hasn’t named him, but he has denied any wrongdoing.
A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police confirmed that the full file has been sent to the CPS and that they’re providing support to those who came forward.
After reaching out to the FA and her club, Kira felt ignored. The club said they couldn’t discuss her claims for legal reasons, and the FA later told her they couldn’t take action because they found no evidence of risk. Kira felt they were more focused on protecting their interests than helping victims.
In July 2024, Kira tried again to get the FA and her club to act, but they just passed her concerns around without any real response. She felt like her voice didn’t matter, and that more women coming forward wouldn’t change anything.
Another woman, Mia, believes that if the FA and the club had taken the first allegation seriously, she wouldn’t have ended up in a situation where she was assaulted. She feels their inaction caused her suffering.
While the FA has strict rules for players involved in betting scandals, there’s nothing similar for those accused of sexual violence outside of football. Some lawyers have pointed out the legal challenges clubs face in handling these situations without clear guidelines.
The FA stated that their policies are designed to protect vulnerable individuals in football. They conduct thorough assessments if there’s a risk of harm, but they can’t comment on specific cases.
If you or someone you know is affected by these issues, reach out to the BBC Action Line for support and advice.
