Apologies if this subject has been flogged to death but it is the subject of debate today in our office.
Simply YES or NO (provide explanation if desired) should Ched Evans be allowed to play football professionally.
My opinion, he and his friends took advantage of an intoxicated girl. Girl claims rape, prosecutors say she was in no fit state to consent. He IS a convicted rapist, judged by a jury of his peers.
He paid his debt to society but now clubs wont touch him with a barge pole in fear of sponsors pulling out and fans not attending games - I don't blame the club chairmen for this.
I think he should get on with his life, potentially away from football and face the reality that guilty or not, his foolish behaviour and betrayal of his partner that night has landed him here. He had a choice, go home to his partner or join his friend in engaging in sexual intercourse with a drunk and apparently non coherent woman in a premier inn. Footballers are high profile and looked up to, a responsibility they need to take seriously.
Now of course there are those who assume the girl has cried rape and that engaging in sex with a drunk woman after a night out behind your partners back is foolish, but not against the law. The verdict stands, he has signed the sex offenders list.......
He needs to accept responsibility, whether rape or a foolish mistake.
If he had shown any remorse instead of campaigning to undermine the victim perhaps he would not have had such problems as he has.
Yes he should be able to return, but I don't blame the clubs if they won't touch him.
Will this lead to any footballer who commits an offence eg,drink driving be prevented from playing on the grounds of him losing his role model status.I think that Evans has been pilloried by the press over this matter.
So as fans we overlook our "heroes" and their indiscretions.
It seems a sad but true reality.
Sqad you are right and not just rape by any definition, assault, drugs........etc
Footballers are high profile and looked up to, a responsibility they need to take seriously.
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Indeed they should. Ask Luke McCormick(killed 2 young boys aged 8 and 10), Lee Hughes(killled an elderly male driver and seriously injured his wife) and Courtney Meppen-Walter(killed adult brother and sister) about their responsibilities as footballers and role models as they all returned to their careers, McCormick even being made club captain.
I only know the Lee hughes case without googling the others.
Is there a difference due to intent here? Dangerous driving is an offence without the intent to injure or kill. Tragic but clearly forgiven by club and fans
Rape is assault, intended by the criminal
But if they're role models jd it shouldn't really matter!! Evans cannot and should not be singled out for particular attention IMHO and most certainly not whilst awaiting his appeal, which if successful will make some politicians look decidedly foolish as they'll have to make complete U turns.