Premier League clubs have reportedly decided to continue playing two players while keeping a boss in place despite knowing that they are under investigation for abuse.
The report from the BBC claims that out of 20 Premier League clubs, seven have had either players or a boss investigated for sexual offences in the past three years.
Alleged victims who spoke with the BBC claimed that the ‘Football Association and Premier League prioritise commercial interests over the safety of women’.
The report states that women who reported allegations to the Premier League have faced either a ‘delayed response, a lack of transparency, or no action.’
Five women spoke with the BBC about a Premier League player, labelled Player X, who they have all accused of ‘rape and controlling behaviour’ since April 2021.
‘If they had suspended him, I never would have been in that situation that I was in that day.’ said one alleged victim.
‘Their decision caused me to suffer.’
Another alleged victim revealed that she got in touch with the player’s Premier League club but was told that they ‘couldn’t discuss her allegations for legal reasons.’
After being directed to discuss it with the FA she had to wait more than four months before receiving an email that stated they would take “no further action” because the “alleged behaviour” did not breach regulations.
‘Him playing was the absolute thing that made me think they were fake and not true. It sent the message of “we don’t believe them and we support him” another alleged victim said.
The BBC report also includes another alleged victim who claims she was raped by a boss at a current Premier League club when she was 15.