Thomas is charged with rape! TA questioned Arsenal: What will happen if the logistics are infringed? Why are the players different

The London Police Department of the United Kingdom issued an announcement confirming that with authorization from the Crown Inspection Agency, it has officially issued a charge against 32-year-old former Arsenal midfielder Thomas, who was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault between 2021 and 2022. TA wrote an article talking about the case and questioned Arsenal's process and attitude to deal with the incident.

While the main focus is the victim, today's news is undoubtedly a PR disaster for Arsenal.

Thomas was arrested several times, questioned by police and released on bail, a total of seven times, during which time he also helped Arsenal nearly win the Premier League title, and he also represented Garner in the 2022 World Cup.

Last season, he made 52 appearances for Arsenal in various competitions. Although his contract expired on June 30, his photos remained on the official Arsenal website on Friday morning and were not removed until afternoon news reports that he was indicted.

However, Arsenal decided to continue to let him participate at the time, coupled with the public support of head coach Arteta. Arteta said after Thomas scored his first goal in October 2022: "I'm happy for everything he's going through and injuries...I'm happy for him, he deserves it all." This has made them criticized.

Now, this issue is complicated by the Crown Prosecutor's decision to file a lawsuit against Thomas a few days after his contract with Arsenal expires.

Whether the club knows about this progress in advance or not, they are now facing difficult questions about how to deal with this situation. The club's brief statement released last night - "The player's contract ended on June 30. As legal proceedings are underway, the club cannot comment on the case" - did not answer these questions.

In July 2022, the club issued a detailed statement on Thomas' continued participation in the competition. The statement mentioned: "We have confirmed that the player has denied all the charges and is currently on police bail... There are no formal charges yet, and the player can perform his professional duties."

At that time, I was very confused. On the one hand, considering from a legal perspective, especially in view of the players' denial, the club's decision seemed reasonable; on the other hand, the seriousness of these charges and the importance of sports in society made it difficult for me to accept.

If they suspended Thomas's game eligibility at the time and he was eventually proven innocent, would it be fair to do so considering that the professional footballer's career is so short?

In addition, are the clubs also worried about possible legal consequences? Last year, former Manchester City player Benjamin Mendy filed a lawsuit against the club for not paying his salary when facing criminal charges on suspicion of sexual offences. He was subsequently ruled that all charges were invalid.

The article states that from a moral and emotional perspective, it is difficult to accept the way the club handles the matter.

article mentioned. Even if you think Arsenal has some concerns about the possible legal consequences of the suspension of Thomas' game, how should they explain that they obviously hope to renew him after this summer? In April this year, TA reported that the club had begun discussing new contracts with the midfielder. This has once again raised many disturbing questions in light of ongoing investigations and allegations against him.

Arsenal has long been a pioneer in promoting the development of women's football and has been regarded as a club that "does things right". However, over the past three years, their actions have raised many questions about the Football Ethics Compass and how they view allegations of sexual assault against women. Their behavior has made many fans feel uneasy and conflicted. This behavior makes people feel very wrong.

British TV host Logan once said: "Football reflects many attitudes in society. Sometimes I think it reflects our attitude towards issues such as racism and homophobia in the process of civilization. If the football community takes this seriously, it will send a very strong message."

What message does this convey when a club basically says "everything is normal" after being accused of rape? Does that mean they treat these allegations with the seriousness they deserve? Does this send a strong message for players, staff and fans about how to deal with such allegations?

The suspension of the two players by the club does not mean that their employer labels them "criminal" but does show that the club believes they should take the allegations seriously. This means they understand the potential impact and consequences of these allegations on the victim and those around them. It also shows that they realize what kind of message their reactions convey to the public.

Football, especially Arsenal in the Thomas incident, has not been firm in its attitude towards allegations of rape and sexual assault. This approach hardly helps to eliminate the idea that players are suspended from being too high.

It is not difficult to imagine what consequences would be if the club logistics staff faced the same charges. So, why is it different for players? There was an answer that immediately came to mind, but in the face of such a serious accusation, this answer should not be considered at all.