An Arsenal fan group has written an open letter to the club over what it describes as “deeply concerning” sexual violence allegations in the sport.
The letter — which was sent on November 14 and has gained over 7,000 signatures online — was penned by the group ‘Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence’, who have called on the club to suspend any employees if they are subject to criminal investigation, while offering tangible support to the victims of sexual violences and communicating transparently with their supporters, the Premier League and victims.
The letter states that the group are “compelled to voice our growing concerns” over the issue and called on the club to acknowledge their position.
“Sexual violence is a deeply ingrained societal issue, one that disproportionately affects women,” the letter reads. “We believe there is no place for it within football. We trust that you share in our conviction.
“While we recognise that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty, we would find any scenario in which a club was to continually select and promote a player under investigation for sexual offences deeply concerning. This would give the suggestion that success on the pitch far outweighs respect for victims of sexual violence.”
The letter adds that Arsenal has “prided itself on representing its fans and community on and off the pitch” with a “culture of safety and inclusivity across all spectrums of identity, including race, religion, gender, and sexuality.”
It continues: “If, in a hypothetical situation, the aforementioned circumstance were to occur at our club, we worry that it would undermine its reputation as well as the unity and integrity that football inspires.”
There have been multiple cases of high-profile footballers being implicated in sexual offence allegations.
Most recently, a Premier League footballer accused of rape was questioned by police earlier this month as the investigation into allegations against him continues.
The player, who is in his 30s, has been under investigation since his initial arrest on suspicion of rape in July 2022. He was taken into custody before being released on bail and was later released under investigation (RUI).
The player, who has not been suspended by his club and has been allowed to continue playing in the Premier League, cannot be named for legal reasons. That is also why comments are turned off on this article.
In July 2023, former Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy was found not guilty of one count of rape and one of attempted rape following a retrial, having been cleared of six counts of rape and one of sexual assault in January 2023.
In a separate case, Mason Greenwood did not play for Manchester United after he was arrested in January 2022.
United abandoned plans to reintegrate Greenwood back into their first-team squad last summer after a fierce public and internal backlash that followed a story from The Athletic. They subsequently loaned him to Getafe in La Liga, where he won the club’s player of the season award f0r 2023-24. Greenwood joined Marseille permanently this summer.
In February 2023, the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service discontinued the case against him for attempted rape, assault, and coercive control saying that “a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction”. Greenwood denied all the allegations against him.
In June 2022, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma was cleared of an allegation of sexual assault. Bissouma was arrested alongside a man in his 40s under suspicion of sexual assault in Brighton in October 2021 before being cleared the following year.
(Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
