Football - racism, rape and the beautiful game

Rapist Ched Evans (former footballer)

Without wishing to start this blog with too controversial a tone I just want to make clear that I'm really not a fan of racism or rape.  I know, what a weirdo!  What can I say, I've just not ever been that much of an arsehole.

However, I bloomin' love football.  Now, you would expect that those two statements wouldn't have any need to go together and yet, they do.  Just like toast and Marmite.  Dreadful, awful Marmite.

Football has been a playground of inconsistencies for years, and something that I'm no stranger to myself as can be read HERE in my blog from April 2013.

For a start, just look at the global governing body. FIFA.  Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein has stepped forward to say he will stand as candidate in the leadership elections in a bid to remove Sepp Blatter form the post.  He is being supported by figures such as Uefa president Michel Platini and the English FA.

That's right, the state of democracy is so bad within FIFA that we are looking to elect a Prince.  It shows how backward FIFA is when a member of royalty is being seen as a great reformer.  Seriously, it's only just caught up in time with Feudalism!

The FIFA ruling body

Then of course you have the footballers.  Aside from accusations, there is quite a healthy list of criminal convictions within the game, including assault and death caused by dangerous driving.

One lovely chap is Marlon King.  Already with a list of criminal convictions more impressive than his list of clubs played for, he is currently in jail for dangerous driving.  I think the jewel in his crown though is his 2009 conviction for groping a woman then breaking her nose.  What a Champions League level dick!

But of course, we all know where this leading.  Ched Evans.  He used to be a footballer.  Now he is just a rapist.

However, he would like to no longer be a rapist and go back to being a footballer.  There are many crying out at the injustice of the public pressure against Ched Evans, saying that he should have the freedom to join a new club.  Unfortunately for Ched Evans he gave up that freedom when he raped that girl.  Soz Ched.

The most annoying aspect of the macho nature within football is the unrepentant sexism.  There are many who simply refuse to ever believe any accusation of rape against a footballer.  I have heard all kinds of unpleasant arguments, often revolving around the suggestion that the girls just do it to make money.

Well perhaps the girl in the Ched Evans rape case did wish that one day she could own 5 houses.  Well that wish has kind of come true now she has been forced to move home 5 times in 3 years to try and protect her identity.  Her life is in ruins.

There are arguments that say Ched Evans shouldn't be allowed to join a football club because he hadn't apologised.  Others say that a convicted rapist should never be allowed to be a footballer, with the role model aspect for children that goes with the job.

Protests against Ched Evans being re-signed

I personally believe that for any criminal system to work their has to be the chance for rehabilitation.  The chance for a perpetrator to accept the consequences of their actions, understand what they have done is wrong, and then change for the better.

With that in mind I believe that any footballer convicted of a crime should be able to be rehabilitated, and given the chance to return to the game.

This could cause arguments between me and friends.  Not in the case of Ched Evans however, as he has refused to accept responsibility for his crime nor any suggestion he did anything wrong.  Therefore, he has not been rehabilitated.

Yes, he's served his jail sentence and no, that is not enough.

Yes, he has now "apologised".  It says a lot about Ched Evans that even his apologies are forced.

Absolutely pathetic.  Like John Terry apologising for making racist remarks to Anton Ferdinand only after being found guilty by the FA, this apology means nothing.

It really is a sorry state of affairs.

But, despite all this, I still love football.  I can't help it, I really can't.

Sport to me is about drama.  Real drama.  I hate watching soap operas because of all the clichés, because I know what is going to happen.  Football is improvised, made up in the moment.  Yes, at times it can be dull, but at others it can blow your mind.

Manchester United winning the European cup with two late goals after being a goal down for almost 90 minutes.  Utterly amazing.  Never could a film, play or a book get as explosive a reaction from people as a moment like that can.  It cannot be scripted.

The corruption, bigotry and misogyny in football are starting to feel like clichés though.  For the art form that is truly lived in the moment, maybe it is time to change the script.

The beautiful game