Last night saw the England team take on Ghana in what was ultimately, a pretty boring World Cup game. But one thing that did make me sit up straight, was seeing Thomas Partey on the pitch.
Having previously been denied entry into Canada, and missing Ghana's first game against Panama, having claimed he'd never been arrested or charged with a crime, Partey made it to Boston as part of the Ghanian team – despite being due to stand trial for rape and sexual assault next year.
Four different women have accused the former Arsenal midfielder of incidences taking place between 2020 and 2022; in total, he has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault.
Some football fans booed Partey as they first spotted him on the pitch, and when he subsequently had possession of the ball, and footage is also circulating appearing to show England's full-back, Djed Spence, refusing to shake Partey's hand before the match.
England's midfielder Declan Rice, however, firmly embraced Partey, who he has previously been an Arsenal teammate of, and Harry Kane, England's captain, readily shook Partey's hand.
Given that FIFA has backed campaigns aimed at raising awareness of domestic and gender-based violence, claiming it cares about making the world a 'safer, better place for women and girls', the message it's sending by allowing Partey on the pitch seems to strongly suggest otherwise.
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Yes, the expression is 'innocent until proven guilty' (and this is basically what Ghana's coach, Carlos Queiroz, said when asked why he's allowing Partey on the team), but does that still mean Partey should be allowed to just carry on as normal, even playing on a global stage? Especially after having lied to the Canadian authorities just days ago about having ever been charged with a crime in the first place?
This is also set to a backdrop of research from Lancaster University which found cases of domestic abuse increase by 38% whenever England lose a match, or by 26% when they won or drew, during previous World Cup tournaments. Women's Aid has also launched a new awareness campaign, The Other Kick Off, to highlight how deeply interwoven football is with violence against women and girls – violence which can include physical, verbal or sexual assaults.
At its best, football can be a powerful force for good, says Ciara Bergman, CEO of Rape Crisis England & Wales, acknowledging how sports can provide shared moments of joy and connection for adults and children alike, along with teaching valuable lessons of teamwork and persistence. "Precisely because of this power, football's governing bodies have a responsibility to ensure that players uphold appropriate standards of behaviour in their public and professional lives." Bergman comments. "This is made clear within the FIFA Code of Ethics and FIFA Disciplinary Code, which strictly outlaw all forms of harassment, exploitation, and abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual), both on and off the pitch.
"For this to have meaning, those alleged to have broken this code must be properly investigated and the consequences of a sportsman continuing to play during that period of time must be carefully considered."
Bergman adds that the public's perception of what is – and isn't – acceptable or aspirational "can be profoundly influenced by the conduct of their heroes and heroines, and this in turn has an impact on how confident survivors feel in institutions' willingness to take reports seriously, and to hold perpetrators to account for their behaviour."
Janaya Walker, Interim Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) says it's importance to recognise a significant number of football fans do want clubs to take action on violence against women, but stresses that all too often "survivors are met with cultures of disbelief and silence, with legal systems that are stacked against them and few facing meaningful consequences".
"Football should be for everyone, and last night Djed Spence showed how seemingly small acts can have a big impact. This is true in sports and our daily lives too. Ending violence against women and girls relies on men and boys not only taking responsibility for their own actions, but also holding one another other accountable."
Partey's lawyer says the footballer is looking forward to his day in court and having the opportunity to clear his name.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a statement last week saying it was aware "of the pending court case for Mr Partey, however, at this time, he has not been convicted of a crime and was admitted to the United States after being issued a visa."
Cosmopolitan UK has reached out to FIFA for comment.
For more information and support on sexual assault, visit the Rape Crisis website or call 0808 500 2222 day or night.
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
