Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/441179
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 JANUARY 2015 3 TIM DIACONO A decision by Hibernians FC to offer former Welsh international striker and convicted rapist Ched Evans a six- month contract sparked off a contro- versy both here and in the UK. In a tweet, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat warned the management of Hibernians FC that footballers are role models and that signing Evans could damage the reputation of their club and, to an extent, the reputation of Malta. "I hope the management understand this clearly before making a final deci- sion," Muscat said. It was, however, very much against the vein of what Justice Minister Owen Bonnici had tweeted less than an hour earlier. "If we believe in the rehabilitation of prisoners, we should practise what we preach," Bonnici said, arguing that Evans should be given a second chance. The UK Ministry of Justice ended up shooting down Hibs' dreams of signing the football pariah, saying that Evans, as a convicted sex offender on licence, was barred from working outside the United Kingdom. Evans, 26, was released from prison in October after serving half of a five- year sentence for raping a 19-year- old woman in a hotel room who was deemed too drunk to consent. His vic- tim has reportedly had to change her name and move house five times after being repeatedly identified by Twitter trolls, supporters of Evans. Since his release, Evans has maintained his in- nocence, describing the rape incident as "an incredibly foolish decision" and refusing to apologise to his victim. When reporting yesterday's devel- oping story, the British media quoted Hibernians vice-president Stephan Vaughan as saying that the club had spoken to Evans' agent and had offered him a deal until the end of the season. However, club secretary Steve Abela said that Vaughan is the club's spon- sor and a spokesman for Evans later denied that Hibs had even submitted an offer to him. Hibs' technical director, Jeffrey Far- rugia, had told Sky Sports News that Evans made a 'mistake' and that his club was willing to offer him a second chance. "He was punished and he did his sentence so he should have a second chance, and our club is ready, the door is open for him to start his new career again in professional football," Farru- gia said. When Evans was invited to train with Sheffield United back in Novem- ber, television presenter Charlie Web- ster quit as club patron, Olympian Jes- sica Ennis-Hill asked for her name to be removed from one of the stands at Bramall Lane, and two shirt sponsors threatened to quit. Sheffield United ended up retracting their decision to allow Evans to train with them, say- ing that they had not anticipated the intensity of the public reaction. However, Farrugia shrugged off con- cerns that something similar could happen in Malta. "I can't understand sometimes how English football, English clubs, think about all these things. Everybody must have a second chance. He paid for what he did, for us it's not an issue. He's a big asset for our club, to have the big quality of this player join our club. We need players like him in Malta." 'Evans deserves a second chance' Shadow home affairs minister Jason Azzopardi, honorary president of Hi- bernians FC and a dedicated Hibs sup- porter, told MaltaToday that Evans deserves a second chance. "I am not saying this because I sup- port Hibernians," Azzopardi told Mal- taToday. "I'd have said the same thing if I was a supporter of Comino FC or Timbuktu FC. "It would be a completely differ- ent situation if we were talking about a convicted paedophile working at a football nursery, but what's wrong with employing a footballer found guilty of rape if he is no longer a dan- ger to society?" Azzopardi questioned. "Can anyone guarantee that every footballer playing in Malta has a clean conduct?" In a dig at the government, he said that Muscat "is the last person" who should preach morality over the Evans issue given how he had embraced former Labour candidate Cyrus En- gerer back into the fold as a "soldier of steel". He also made reference to a charity football game held last month between inmates, MPs and personalities. "If, for argument's sake, one of those inmates was a sexual offender, would he be disallowed from playing for a Maltese football club after he is released?" Az- zopardi asked. "After all, that charity football match was held to promote the message that inmates can be re- integrated and give something back to society. "Are there exceptions to reintegra- tion?" The Malta Football Players Associa- tion shared similar sentiments. "People who pay for their mistakes through jail-time deserve a chance to rehabilitate and reintegrate by practising the trade that they know," MFPA secretary Konrad Sultana told MaltaToday. "Somehow, singers who abuse of drugs get treated like heroes, while errors committed by sportspeo- ple stick to them for life." He also pointed out that while foot- ballers are considered to be role mod- els in England, this was "absolutely not" the case for footballers plying their trade in Malta. tdiacono@mediatoday.com.mt • 13 games and one goal for Wales (2008-2011) • 16 games and one goal for Manchester City (2007-2009) • 28 games and ten goals for Norwich City (on loan, 2007- 2008) • 113 games and 48 goals for Sheffield United (2009-2012) • Sentenced to five years imprisonment in 2012 for raping a 19-year-old girl • Worked as a painter during prison time, using his money to buy fruits and nuts so as to stick to a healthy diet • His girlfriend's father has set up a website, www. chedevans.com, proclaiming Evans' innocence • His rape victim has had to change her name and move house five times after being constantly identified and harassed by Evans' supporters 2014 in review Joseph Muscat calls on Hibs not to sign convicted rapist not to sign convicted rapist Ched Evans Fact File