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      45 Polish football fans appear at special court over ‘worst riot in UK for 20 years’ at Aston Villa

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      FORTY-FIVE Polish football fans including a woman appeared in a special court yesterday over the Aston Villa riot.Thursday’s clashes outside the Birmingham stadium were the worst in the UK for 20 years.
      The clashes outside Aston Villa’s stadium were the worst in the UK for 20 yearsCredit: Reuters
      A total of 46 people aged between 21 and 63 were charged — but one did not attend.
      The others appeared in groups of up to five at separate hearings throughout the day.
      Police said 43 were charged with public order offences, two with assaulting police and another with possessing a knife.
      A district judge and several magistrates granted conditional bail to almost 30 of the accused at Birmingham crown court.
      READ MORE ON LEGIA RIOT
      They including a 22-year-old woman from Poland who pleaded not guilty to violent disorder.
      At one hearing the court was told “egregious, sustained and horrific” violence included bricks, bottles and a portable toilet being thrown at police.
      It is alleged that a police van was the target of an attempted fire attack.
      And a flare and a flaming flag were allegedly used to injure two officers.
      Most read in Football
      Police said five officers, two police dogs and two horses were injured after violence erupted when visiting supporters were not given tickets, as arranged, to enter Villa Park for the Europa Conference League clash which Legia Warsaw lost 2-1.
      Darius Buras, 57, of Birmingham, was one of the two accused of attacking police.
      He denied it and was bailed. Remanded defendants were ordered to ­reappear on January 5.
      Det Supt Jim Munro said: “To charge this number of people so soon after such a major disorder has taken a huge effort.” More

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      Police charge 46 men, including one for possessing a knife, over violent scenes outside Aston Villa’s with Legia Warsaw

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      POLICE have confirmed that 46 men have been charged after the violent scenes outside of Aston Villa’s clash with Legia Warsaw – including a man in possession of a knife.West Midlands Police announced yesterday that 46 Legia fans were in custody following Thursday’s serious disorder outside Villa Park at the Europa Conference League match.
      Violent scenes marred Aston Villa’s clash with Legia Warsaw on ThursdayCredit: Rex
      Cops were attacked by the visiting fans outside of the stadium
      Police have now confirmed 46 men have been chargedCredit: Rex
      Uefa have reported Legia to Uefa after the shocking scenesCredit: Rex
      Now a statement from the police has confirmed: “We’ve charged 46 men over Thursday night’s violence outside Villa Park.
      “Of those, 43 have been charged with a public order offence, while two have been charged with assaulting police officers and another has been charged with possession of a knife.
      “Those charged are aged between and 21 and 63, and around 40 are believed to be from Poland. A small number are believed to be UK residents.
      “All apart from one of the men is due in court today. He has been bailed to appear at a later date.
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      “A special court has been set up at Birmingham magistrates and will begin hearing the cases this morning.”
      It continued: “We are continuing to review CCTV and body-worn video footage to identify further suspects in what was an appalling and violent public disorder.
      “It is now known five officers suffered minor injuries in the disorder.
      ASTON VILLA TROUBLE TIMELINEAccording to Villa the following timeline outlines Legia’s refusal to follow normal procedure.
      10:30am – Match Day meeting during which Legia failed to accept their ticket allocation and informed those in attendance they would not be able to confirm if they would until 2.30pm.
      2.30pm – Legia officials miss the first deadline to report back.
      3.00pm – Legia officials miss the second deadline to report back despite repeated calls to them.
      4.00pm – Legia officials finally confirm they wish to receive their ticket allocation, with a pick-up point arranged at the stadium.
      6.00pm – Villa hand over tickets to Legia to distribute among their fans.
      7.00pm – Police who have penned Legia fans into the Witton Lane car park, close to the Doug Ellis Stand they will occupy, begin to release fans.
      7.05pm – Legia Ultras orchestrate violence and try to storm through police lines to gain access for ticketless fans, four police officers are injured in the ensuing violence.
      8.00pm – The match kicks off – no Legia fans have been allowed into the away section.

      “Two of these were from West Midlands Police, two from West Mercia and one from Derbyshire. They are receiving support at this time.
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      “Two dogs from West Midlands Police and two horses from Thames Valley were injured and are recovering.”
      Det Supt Jim Munro, who is overseeing the criminal investigation, said: “Our investigation is very much continuing and we’ll be reviewing footage and speaking to witnesses over the coming days.
      “To charge this number of people so soon after such a major disorder has taken a huge effort by staff who have been working around the clock.
      “We’ve had a number of messages of thanks from the club and fans who were present on Thursday night and saw the policing operation first hand, and we are really grateful for that support.”
      Villa have reported Legia Warsaw to Uefa following the shameful scenes of violence.
      Sources close to Uefa claim the Polish side’s fans face being banned from all future away games after the shameful incident.
      The chaos lasted over 90 minutes and was described by one cop as “the worst violence I’ve experienced in 28 years.”
      Police struggled to disperse the Legia Warsaw fansCredit: PA
      Two police dogs and two horses were injured in the violence scenesCredit: Reuters
      Mounted officers joined riot police and dog handlers to try and disperse around 2,000 Legia fans who had been penned into a nearby car park prior to kick-off.
      Four cops were injured in the disorder as they were attacked with flares, bricks, metal poles and tree branches.
      After Villa secured their place in the knockouts with a 2-1 win, Assistant Chief Constable Damian Barratt said: “This was appalling and completely unacceptable disorder.
      “What we saw was 90 minutes of planned violence, with one officer saying it was the worst he had seen in 28 years of policing.
      “Our officers bravely put themselves in harm’s way and I would like to commend each and every one of them for their efforts.
      “We are committed to charging and remanding any and all responsible for attacking our officers and endangering the public.
      “We had no issues with the home fans and would like to thank them and Aston Villa for their support and kind words last night and this morning.
      “The only issues inside the ground last night were from a small number of away fans who had managed to get into home areas.
      “We will be liaising with the club and footballing authorities in the coming days to discuss last night’s appalling scenes.”
      No away fans were allowed into Villa Park for the matchCredit: Getty
      Home fans were also kept inside the stadium during half timeCredit: Reuters
      Aston Villa went on to win the match 2-1 and secure a place in the knockoutsCredit: EPA
      Villa swiftly dismissed claims by some Polish media outlets that were trying to lay blame on them for failing to provide enough tickets to Legia fans.
      And they have contacted Uefa to report the unacceptable conduct of Legia Warsaw officials ahead of the high-risk tie.
      Visiting teams to Villa Park would usually receive 5 per cent of capacity, which amounts to around 2,600 tickets for away supporters.
      However, trouble flared during Legia’s last visit to England when they lost 3-1 to Leicester City in 2021 as 20 police officers were injured that night when Polish Ultras ran riot.
      In light of that, Villa agreed a revised figure of 1700 tickets with Legia officials nearly four weeks ago, with the full approval of Uefa.
      However, when Legia fans again fought with Dutch police during their recent tie in Alkmaar, Uefa banned their fans from their next away tie against Zrinjski Mostar in Bosnia.
      At that point, the UK Safety Advisory Group – which passes safety certificates for major events – refused to sanction the full 1700 allocation and slashed it by almost 700 to 1002 tickets.
      That decision was completely out of Villa’s control and was ratified by Uefa.
      Villa claim Legia failed to convey that message to their fans immediately, which led to around 1,000 ticketless fans travelling to the UK.
      Furthermore, Villa have accused Legia of being obstructive during a Match Day meeting on the morning of the match.
      But Legia Warsaw released a statement earlier today blaming Aston Villa for the incident and claimed they did not listen to advice from them to ensure safety.
      And they also stated that the English club even escalated the already tense atmosphere by reducing the number of tickets for their fans.
      It read: “Regrettably, as a consequence of both actions and inactions by the Aston Villa F.C. club, unfavourable incidents unfolded.
      “In declining to embrace our constructive critiques and recommendations, the hosts bear full responsibility for the situation.”
      Legia also added that they are not responsible for people that have no official ties to their club, saying: “No club should bear accountability for the actions of unidentified individuals lacking match tickets.”
      At the customary meeting attended by representatives of both clubs, Uefa, broadcasters, security staff, police and emergency services, Legia stunned Villa representatives by refusing to confirm if they would accept the reduced ticket allocation.
      SunSport understands Legia representatives seemed determined to adopt and endorse their Ultras motto of: ‘Don’t leave anyone behind,’ and were reluctant to accept the reduced allocation.
      The police have confirmed that all apart from one of those arrested are due in court todayCredit: Reuters
      Uefa observers were present at the Witton Lane car park and witnessed the shocking scenes of violence which followed.
      They immediately launched an investigation into the shocking scenes but were quick to praise West Midlands Police and Villa for their handling of the explosive situation.
      It now appears certain Legia will face a lengthy ban from travelling to away fixtures after “off the scale violence,” erupted for the third time in recent away trips.
      At the height of the violence Villa raced to collect fire extinguishers from the stadium and nearby supporters hall and supplied police with them to try and douse the flames from hundreds of flares.
      At one flashpoint Legia thugs tried to overturn a police van which was blocking their route.
      Read More on The Sun
      SunSport understands some Legia fans arrived in the UK hell-bent on causing mayhem and spoiling for a fight with police or Villa fans. 
      We understand border police found Mixed Martial Arts mitts and gum shields in the luggage of some fans, who had clearly come prepared to battle. More

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      UK’s top footy cop calls for Legia Warsaw to be BANNED from Europe after officer ‘engulfed in flames’ at Aston Villa

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      THE UK’s chief of football policing has called for Legia Warsaw to be kicked out of Europe.And banned from attending ANY games in England following the disgraceful scenes which marred Thursday’s Europa Conference League tie with Aston Villa.
      Police clashed with Legia Warsaw fans during Thursday’s Europa Conference League tie with Aston VillaCredit: Rex
      One officer was set on fire by a flare during the clashesCredit: Rex
      Mark Roberts, who leads the UK’s Football Policing Unit, made it clear Legia fans are no longer welcome in this country after they injured dozens of officers while rioting at Leicester and Villa.
      Roberts warned safety certificates could be withdrawn and stadium bans imposed if Legia are drawn against an English club again after their loutish fans clashed with Dutch police and injured four West Midlands officers recently – causing burns to one.
      “It’s clear Legia have an appalling record in Europe this year and West Midlands Police were aware there might be problems,” said Roberts, who is also Chief Constable of Cheshire Police.
      “It really does put into focus whether there is a case to exclude them from the competition because they can’t keep going around Europe causing this sort of havoc.
      READ MORE ON ASTON VILLA
      “As a result of information we had from the Dutch authorities, Border force actually stopped 11 Polish fans from even coming into the country.
      “From a police perspective they are extremely difficult to manage and there comes a point when you have to ask where police and public safety outweighs the needs of the competition.
      “I spoke to Uefa on the night and we will speak again. They are urgently reviewing the situation. 
      “But I think there is a really good case for having them thrown out of the tournament.”
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      Roberts laid the blame for the pre-match carnage at Legia Warsaw for failing to deal professionally with the distribution of tickets to their fans.
      He said: “We know the club were very unhappy at the reduction in the ticket allocation but in light of subsequent events that was an entirely justified decision.”
      And he revealed Legia fans could face a national stadium ban if they are ever drawn against English clubs in future, as the all-powerful Safety Advisory Group could refuse to grant safety certificates for matches involving the Poles.
      “I think we’d have to have a look at ways we can support whatever police force has the misfortune to have to host them,” he rapped.
      “In some circumstances, we might even say we want to prevent any away fans from coming and there might be a case for the Safety Advisory Group to exclude away fans.”
      Our reporter found evidence, among the debris left following last night’s shameful scenes outside Villa Park, of the scale of Legia Ultras’ carnage.
      We found empty boxes, which had contained 50 flares and saw how Legia fans had come close to breaking down a fence as they attempted to break free from the pen they had been herded into by police.
      SunSport can also reveal British border authorities confiscated gum shields and Mixed Martial Arts boxing mitts from the luggage of some fans, who had clearly come prepared to fight. More

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      Aston Villa report Legia Warsaw to Uefa after chaos saw ‘cop engulfed in flames’ as rivals face ban for ALL away games

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      ASTON VILLA have reported Legia Warsaw to Uefa following the shameful scenes of violence which marred last night’s Europa Conference League clash.And sources close to Uefa claim the Polish side’s fans face being banned from all future away games.
      Police clashed with Legia Warsaw fans on Thursday nightCredit: Rex
      One officer was set on fire by a flareCredit: Rex
      Another officer suffered a hand injuryCredit: Rex
      A police dog and police horse were also injuredCredit: Rex
      West Midlands Police confirmed 46 Legia fans are in custody following last night’s serious disorder outside Villa Park.
      They will be charged with offences including violent disorder, assaulting police officers and possession of weapons.
      The chaos, which lasted for more than 90 minutes, was described by one police officer as “the worst violence I’ve experienced in 28 years.”
      Mounted police joined riot police and dog handlers as they battled to disperse around 2,000 Legia fans who had been penned into a nearby car park prior to kick-off.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Four officers were injured in the disorder, which saw them attacked with flares, bricks, metal poles and tree branches.
      A statement issued by West Midlands Police revealed: “One officer’s fluorescent jacket caught fire after they were hit with a flare.
      “Fortunately his jacket was removed quickly and he was not injured.
      “He was later taken to hospital with smoke inhalation after the smoke from the flare made it into his helmet.
      Most read in Football
      Flares were chucked at the PoliceCredit: Reuters
      No away fans were allowed into Villa Park for the matchCredit: Getty
      “Another officer suffered a minor hand injury while a police dog and a police horse were injured in the disorder.”
      Assistant Chief Constable Damian Barratt said: “This was appalling and completely unacceptable disorder.
      “What we saw was 90 minutes of planned violence, with one officer saying it was the worst he had seen in 28 years of policing.
      “Our officers bravely put themselves in harm’s way and I would like to commend each and every one of them for their efforts.
      “We are committed to charging and remanding any and all responsible for attacking our officers and endangering the public.
      “We had no issues with the home fans and would like to thank them and Aston Villa for their support and kind words last night and this morning.
      “The only issues inside the ground last night were from a small number of away fans who had managed to get into home areas.
      “We will be liaising with the club and footballing authorities in the coming days to discuss last night’s appalling scenes.”
      Fans were kept inside the stadium during half timeCredit: Reuters
      Aston Villa won the matchCredit: EPA
      Villa have reacted swiftly to dismiss claims by some Polish media outlets, trying to lay blame on them for failing to provide enough tickets to Legia fans.
      And they have already contacted Uefa to report the unacceptable conduct of Legia Warsaw officials ahead of the high-risk tie.
      A statement from the club said: “This shocking behaviour followed Legia club officials’ complete lack of cooperation with West Midlands Police, Aston Villa and UEFA throughout the day.
      “It started during the standard pre-match operational meeting that commenced at 10.30am on Thursday morning and was attended by UEFA representatives, including UEFA’s security team, as well as West Midlands Police including representatives from both clubs.
      “Legia Warsaw refused to confirm if they would accept their allocation of tickets for the match at that point. This is in stark contrast to normal UEFA operational procedures.
      “They advised the meeting that they would meet with their supporters at 2.30pm and communicate the decision at 3pm but advised there was a possibility that they would not accept the tickets.
      “Despite repeated requests before and after the 3pm deadline for a decision, there was no communication until 4pm when Legia informed Aston Villa that they wished to receive their ticket allocation.
      “These tickets were handed to Legia officials immediately upon their arrival at the stadium at 6.16pm.
      “To reiterate, Legia officials were advised on a call that included a number of UEFA representatives on November 2 that they would receive an allocation of 1002 – exactly four weeks prior to last night’s fixture.”
      Visiting teams to Villa Park would usually receive 5% of capacity which amounts to 2,600 tickets for away supporters.
      However, trouble flared during Legia’s last visit to England when they lost 3-1 to Leicester City two years ago and 20 police officers were injured that night as Polish Ultras ran riot.
      In light of those disturbances, Villa agreed a revised figure of 1700 tickets with Legia officials nearly four weeks ago, with the full approval of Uefa.
      ASTON VILLA’S TIMELINEAccording to Villa the following timeline outlines Legia’s refusal to follow normal procedure.
      10:30am – Match Day meeting during which Legia failed to accept their ticket allocation and informed those in attendance they would not be able to confirm if they would until 2.30pm.
      2.30pm – Legia officials miss the first deadline to report back.
      3.00pm – Legia officials miss the second deadline to report back despite repeated calls to them.
      4.00pm – Legia officials finally confirm they wish to receive their ticket allocation, with a pick-up point arranged at the stadium.
      6.00pm – Villa hand over tickets to Legia to distribute among their fans.
      7.00pm – Police who have penned Legia fans into the Witton Lane car park, close to the Doug Ellis Stand they will occupy, begin to release fans.
      7.05pm – Legia Ultras orchestrate violence and try to storm through police lines to gain access for ticketless fans, four police officers are injured in the ensuing violence.
      8.00pm – The match kicks off – no Legia fans have been allowed into the away section.

      However, when Legia fans again fought with Dutch police during their recent tie in Alkmaar, Uefa banned their fans from their next away tie against Zrinjski Mostar in Bosnia.
      At that point, the UK Safety Advisory Group – which passes safety certificates for major events – refused to sanction the full 1700 allocation and slashed it by almost 700 to 1002 tickets.
      That decision was completely out of Villa’s control and was ratified by Uefa.
      Villa claim Legia failed to convey that message to their fans immediately, which led to around 1,000 ticketless fans travelling to the UK.
      Furthermore, Villa have accused Legia of being obstructive during a Match Day meeting on the morning of the match.
      At the customary meeting attended by representatives of both clubs, Uefa, broadcasters, security staff, police and emergency services, Legia stunned Villa representatives by refusing to confirm if they would accept the reduced ticket allocation.
      SunSport understands Legia representatives seemed determined to adopt and endorse their Ultras motto of: ‘Don’t leave anyone behind,’ and were reluctant to accept the reduced allocation.
      Uefa observers were present at the Witton Lane car park and witnessed the shocking scenes of violence which followed.
      They immediately launched an investigation into the shocking scenes but were quick to praise West Midlands Police and Villa for their handling of the explosive situation.
      It now appears certain Legia will face a lengthy ban from travelling to away fixtures after “off the scale violence,” erupted for the third time in recent away trips.
      At the height of the violence Villa raced to collect fire extinguishers from the stadium and nearby supporters hall and supplied police with them to try and douse the flames from hundreds of flares.
      At one flashpoint Legia thugs tried to overturn a police van which was blocking their route.

      SunSport understands some Legia fans arrived in the UK hell-bent on causing mayhem and spoiling for a fight with police or Villa fans. 
      We understand border police found Mixed Martial Arts mitts and gum shields in the luggage of some fans, who had clearly come prepared to battle. More

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      Police officer set on FIRE and three more injured in violent clashes with Polish yob fans before Aston Villa game

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      A POLICE officer was set on FIRE in violent clashes with Polish football yobs.Legia Warsaw fans went on the rampage just minutes before Aston Villa’s 2-1 Europa Conference League win on Thursday night.
      Legia Warsaw fans rioted with police as three officers were injuredCredit: Reuters
      Police battled the fans as flares were lit by the travelling supportCredit: Reuters
      It was a chaotic scene outside Villa ParkCredit: Reuters
      Legia supporters were furious they could not enter the groundCredit: PA
      Four police officers were injured in the violenceCredit: PA
      One cop was set on fire by a flare and taken to hospitalCredit: Getty
      The away section of Villa Park was completely empty as Legia fans were denied entryCredit: Reuters
      It made for a bizarre atmosphere inside the stadiumCredit: Reuters
      Police in riot gear met fans and kettled them into a car park near the stadium but could not prevent trouble breaking out before kick-off.
      Four cops were injured – as well as two police horses and two dogs – as Legia fans hurled missiles at an army of police.
      One officer, who was hit by a flare, was taken to hospital after suffering burns.
      Police later confirmed than none of the injuries were serious.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Legia followers were furious after they had their ticket allocation cut from 1,700 to 1,002 after violent clashes between Warsaw fans and Dutch police in Alkmaar.
      Almost 1,000 ticketless Polish fans tried to gatecrash the turnstiles as NO away supporters were allowed in.
      West Midlands Police mounted a huge security operation but violent scenes broke out when police began to move those Legia fans who did have tickets from their compound to march them to the stadium.
      As a result, the match kicked off with the entire away section empty.
      Most read in Football
      Birmingham Police issued a statement on X to confirm: “We’re currently unable to allow away fans into Villa Park following disorder outside the stadium which has seen missiles thrown at officers.
      “Three officers have already been injured and a significant police operation continues. Please avoid Witton Lane where possible.”
      A later statement from West Midlands police confirmed 39 people had been arrested on suspicion of offences including violent disorder and assaulting a police officer.
      They slammed the “disgusting and highly dangerous scenes”.
      A statement from Villa added: “Aston Villa Football Club can confirm that no away fans were allowed into Villa Park for this evening’s UEFA Europa Conference League fixture with Legia Warsaw on the advice of West Midlands Police following large-scale disorder outside the stadium caused by visiting supporters.”
      It continued: “In spite of numerous requests for cooperation from Legia Warsaw concerning their travelling supporters, especially in the last two days, no assistance on the serious safety matter of away fans attending Villa Park was forthcoming from the visiting club.
      Legia had their ticket allocation cut following violence with Dutch police last monthCredit: PA
      The police endured a horrid night in the MidlandsCredit: Reuters
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      “The club has repeatedly, including this morning, raised concerns in conjunction with UEFA and all the relevant authorities to Legia that ticketless away supporters were attempting to attend Villa Park.
      “Approximately an hour before kick-off, Legia fans engaged in planned and systematic violent acts against West Midlands Police officers and a decision was then made by West Midlands Police to exclude all Legia supporters.
      “Aston Villa strongly condemns the behaviour of those visiting supporters and would like to thank West Midlands Police for their professionalism in very difficult circumstances.”
      A statement released by Legia incredibly blamed Villa for “exacerbating the situation”.
      They wrote: “Instead of diffusing potential pre-match tensions, restrictive measures of Aston Villa FC as the host club needlessly exacerbate the atmosphere. In our view, such measures are counterproductive and unfounded.”
      Legia boss Kosta Runjaic added: “For sure we have great fans. They support us at home and away.
      “They are travelling with us and we can always rely on them and count on them. 
      “So far, since I’ve been at Legia I’ve had a massively nice and good experience with our fans. 
      “It would have been good for sure. (to have fans present) 
      “But as I said, I don’t know the content of all the happenings – I dont know the details.
      “So that’s why it is better I do not speak about it.
      “Unfortunately our fans weren’t in the stadium – and the atmosphere in general would have been much better if they were.
      Plans had already been put in place with both teams using different stadium entrances to the ones normally used to protect the safety of the players.
      And no away fans at all were able to enter the stadium as police continued to battle to restore control of the rioting Polish supporters.
      Footage on social media appeared to show missiles being lobbed at Villa fans from outside the stadium.
      While some Polish fans were ejected from the home end by stewards.
      On the field, it did not take long for Villa to go in front as Moussa Diaby tucked home the opener after just four minutes.
      Read More on The Sun
      Ernest Muci levelled things up for the visitor’s midway through the first half, before Alex Moreno put Villa 2-1 in front 13 minutes into the second period.
      And that’s how it stayed as Unai Emery’s men moved three points clear at the top of their group. More

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      I was ‘raped by a Premier League star’ – you don’t get to say no… FOUR others claim they were sexually abused

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      A WOMAN who claims she was raped by a Premier League star is one of five people to come forward to say they were sexually abused.The women – whose names have been changed to protect their anonymity – say they were victims of rape, sexual assault or controlling behaviour since April 2021.
      A total of five women have come forward to make allegations against the top-flight footballer (stock image)Credit: Getty
      ‘Leah’ reported the player to the police in July 2022 and he was arrested at his home.
      Not long afterwards he was also arrested for an earlier allegation of rape made by ‘Kira’.
      Both women claim they were raped by the player and experienced controlling behaviour by him.
      ‘Kira’ told the BBC: “It was clear that he thought he was that important, you don’t get to say ‘no’ to him.”
      Read More on the Prem League
      Having made a report to the cops in August 2021, ‘Kira’ then emailed the FA, Premier League and the club regarding the allegations the following month as she was “in desperation” and concerned about the footballer continuing to play while he was being investigated.
      She had worries that while he was being promoted by his club, his position would give him access to other women who may not be aware of the allegations against him.
      ‘Kira’ said: “I hoped that they would intervene in some way to prevent it from maybe happening again.”
      The club told her it could not discuss the allegations due to legal reason.
      Most read in Football
      Shortly afterwards, ‘Kira’ spotted a social media post from the club celebrating the footballer.
      Meanwhile, the Premier League directed her to the FA.
      It was the response from the FA that she said was the most shocking.
      More than four months after she initially contacted the footballing body, it told her in emails that it could take “no further action” as the alleged behaviour did not breach its regulations.
      It also said there was “no evidence” to suggest that the player “poses a risk of harm to children or adults at risk”.
      The FA also sent her a PDF document called Football’s Safeguarding Children policy” which did not apply to her situation.
      ‘Kira’ said: “They were hiding behind their lack of policies whilst knowing that the regulations they did have set up were meant to protect profits, not victims.”
      Responding to the BBC, the FA said it was comfortable ‘Kira’s complaint had been dealt with appropriately.
      A third woman, ‘Mia’ told the corporation the pair had begun chatting after the play had messaged her on Instagram in February 2022.
      She visited his house with pals, where she claims he sexually assaulted her.
      ‘Mai’ reported him to the police in July 2022, having learned that a footballer had been arrested for rape and thought it might be the same person.
      She said this made her feel less scared to come forward because she felt she wasn’t alone.
      Referring to the club and authorities’ response to the earlier complaint made by ‘Kira’, ‘Mia’ said if the footballer hadn’t still been playing for the club, it would have raised a red flag when he approached her.
      ‘Mia’ said: “If they had decided to take the first allegation seriously… if they had suspended him, I never would have been in that situation that I was in that day.
      “Their decision caused me to suffer.”
      The player was questioned by police in February 2023 regarding ‘Mia’s allegation and was released under investigation.
      He also remains under police investigation for the rape allegations made by ‘Kira’ and ‘Leah’
      It’s thought the player has denied all the allegations.
      ‘Emma’ has also claimed she experienced controlling behaviour by the player earlier this year, including being pressured to have sex.
      She has accused him of forcibly continuing sex by pinning her hands after she tried to push him off because she was in pain.
      ‘Emma’ recently reported her account to the cops.
      She said that when she first started talking to the footballer, she dismissed rumours of allegations against him because he had not been suspended by his club.
      ‘Emma’ said: “Him playing was the absolute thing that made me think they were fake and not true.
      “It sent the message of we don’t believe them and we support him.”
      “What happened to me could have been prevented.”
      ‘Bella’ has also told the BBC that the player forced himself on her at a party by pinning her to a bed and trying to pressure her into have sex, while in a room with others, in April 2021.
      The corporation also says it has spoken to someone else who claims they witnessed the incident.
      ‘Bella’ has not reported what is alleged to have happened to the police.
      The footballer’s club and the Premier League both told the broadcaster they were unable to comment due to an ongoing police investigation.
      A spokesman for the FA said: “Our safeguarding policies and procedures allow us to support and protect children and adults at risk within a football-related environment.”
      In June this year, The Sun revealed a boss of a Premier League side has been quizzed under caution over a historical allegation of rape.
      The well-known footballing figure is accused of raping a teenage girl a number of years ago.
      He was interviewed under caution but not arrested.
      Further enquiries are being carried out before a decision is made whether to charge him or take no further action.
      The Sun is unable to identify the man for legal reasons. It is understood he denies the rape claim.
      One source told The Sun: “He is shocked by the allegation and totally refutes it.”
      The accused man is said to have met the complainant when she applied to work for an organisation he was involved with at the time.
      The source stressed it had no connection to the Premier League club the man is currently involved with.
      Meanwhile, Manchester United winger Anthony is facing assault allegations from his ex-girlfriend Gabriela Cavallin – leading to separate police probes in Sao Paulo and Manchester.
      Antony has strongly denied the “false allegations”.
      Separately, banker Ingrid Lana, 33, has also accused the World Cup ace of physical violence, claiming an alleged attack took place at Antony’s Manchester home last October.
      Antony is on paid leave from Man United until further notice.
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      His ex, Cavallin, has accused the Brazilian star of physical aggression towards her on a number of occasions in bombshell claims.
      A total of four alleged attacks are described in a police report seen by respected sports news site ESPN.
      The footballer remains under police investigation (stock image)Credit: Getty More

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      Norwich striker Hwang Ui-jo SUSPENDED by South Korea over claims he filmed illegal sex tape with ex-partner

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      NORWICH forward Hwang Ui-jo has been suspended from the South Korean national team after an allegation was made that he illegally filmed a sex tape with his ex-girlfriend without her consent.Hwang, 31, who denies the allegation, will not be selected for his country pending a police inquiry into the matter.
      Hwang Ui-jo will not be selected by South Korea pending a police inquiryCredit: Getty
      A short statement from the Korea Football Association’s ethics committee confirmed Hwang’s suspension.
      It read: “We have decided not to select Hwang Ui-jo for the national team until a clear conclusion is reached on the facts.”
      Norwich, who signed Hwang on loan from Nottingham Forest at the beginning of the season, are aware of the allegations and will continue to monitor developments.
      The Asian Cup gets underway on January 12 in Qatar, with South Korea’s first game coming against Bahrain three days later.
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      And it will be a blow to South Korea that Hwang is unavailable until further notice.
      Lee Youn-nam, head of the KSA’s ethics committe, said: “Considering the fact that the player is being investigated as a suspect, it is difficult for him to carry out normal national team activities.
      “Football fans have high expectations for the national team, (so) we have deemed it inappropriate to select Hwang Ui-jo for the national team.”
      South Korea manager Jurgen Klinsmann added: “I fully understand the current situation and will respect the decision of the Korea Football Association.”
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      Hwang has scored 18 goals in 60 caps for South Korea.
      He came off the bench in their two World Cup qualifiers earlier this month, scoring in the first against Singapore.
      At club level, he has scored three goals and provided one assists in 14 games for Norwich. More

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      Former Tottenham star Marcus Edwards suffers horror car crash on way to training with £73K motor left on its side

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      FORMER Tottenham player Marcus Edwards has suffered a car accident while heading to training with current side Sporting Lisbon.The 24-year-old winger is said to be shaken but unharmed following the crash.
      Marcus Edwards suffered a horror car crashCredit: Getty
      The winger’s car was left on its sideCredit: sport.tv
      The driver of the other vehicle was also unharmed.
      Police, firefighters and paramedics were among the emergency responders sent to the scene.
      An overturned Range Rover pictured at the scene was identified as Edwards’ vehicle in local reports about the crash.
      It is said to have happened near Atalaia, north of Lisbon.
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      Sporting Lisbon’s training session was due to start at 10am local time and is thought to have been delayed slightly as a result.
      Club representatives are understood to have gone to the scene of the accident to assist Edwards.
      The footballer has not yet made any comment on his social media.
      Edwards, born in England to an English father and a Greek Cypriot mother, was on his way to his last training session with his club before their Europa League clash against Italian side Atalaya.
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      Edwards, left, came through the academy at TottenhamCredit: Getty
      He came through Spurs’ academy before making one team appearance.
      After loan spells at Norwich and Excelsior, Edwards joined Vitoria on a permanent basis in 2019.
      Two-and-a-half seasons later, he signed for Lisbon, where he has gone on to excel.
      Edwards came back to haunt Spurs last season, scoring against them in the Champions League.
      The winger, who was capped nearly 50 times for England at U16 to U19 level, was recently linked with a move back to the club.
      Reports earlier this month said his current contract is believed to possess a £52 million release clause.
      He is considered to be one of the best Englishmen playing football abroad.
      Edwards has been tipped with a return to Tottenham. However, the club waived millions in a sell-on clause when buying Pedro Porro.
      He has previously insisted that it would “be nice” to return to England to play.
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      He said: “It’s home, so of course I want to come back there [to the Premier League] one day.”
      Reports have also suggested that the winger is not far away from earning a call-up to the England team. More