LONDON (APP) – He s young, experienced and wants to play but it looks like public opinion in Britain may prevent forward Ched Evans from ever resuming his professional soccer career.
Evans, 26, is out of prison after serving time for raping a 19-year-old woman in his hotel room in 2011. Yet public reaction to his possible return to the nation s favorite sport is becoming more and more vehement.
The high-profile case raises questions about the role of rehabilitation and challenges conventional wisdom that a convicted criminal who has paid for his offense should be given a chance to work. The case is complicated by Evans lack of remorse he insists he is innocent and has never apologized.
Oldham, an English team that plays in the country s third-tier League One, is considering signing Evans but major sponsors Verlin and Mecca Bingo said Monday they will drop the team if he joins. Thousands have signed an online petition opposing his return. “I agree he s served his time but it s a very serious crime,” said Kath Woodward, a professor of sociology at Britain s Open University who deals extensively with sports issues.
“Remorse would go some way toward ameliorating the situation. It s very disappointing that clubs like Oldham are trying to get a reasonable player cheap. It shows the management of football (soccer) doesn t understand the changing times.”
She said society s attitudes toward rape and sexual harassment have hardened considerably since the days when former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was able to resume his boxing career after serving time in prison for a 1992 rape.
“I can remember the idea you just have to put up with it, it s part of life, but women now are not prepared to do that,” she said. “There s a lot of public feeling against him coming back, a lot of public protests. The fans genuinely don t want it.”
There have not been any high-profile cases of convicted rapists returning to professional team sports in the United States. However, some professional athletes in the U.S. have been able to resume their careers after prison sentences, including NFL quarterback Michael Vick, who served time for his role in a dogfighting ring.
Evans was jailed for five years in 2012 but was released in October after serving half his sentence. The former Wales national team player said he would work to clear his name and that he wanted to return to soccer
Sheffield United said in November that Evans would train with the club, sparking almost immediate opposition. Prominent Britons, including Olympic gold medalist Jessica Ennis, said they would drop their association with the club if they signed Evans.
