Latest news with #Faith
New York Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
The player we can't write about and football's ‘systemic failure' to deal with sexual violence
Faith loves her football club and has followed their ups and downs for as long as she can remember. But her love has been tested in recent seasons by their refusal to suspend a player who has been accused of sexual assault by four different women. First arrested and questioned by police in July 2022, the player was questioned twice more in 2023 and now it's up to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the public agency that conducts criminal prosecutions in England and Wales, to decide whether he should be charged with the alleged offences. Advertisement In the meantime, he has continued to play — and play well — for his Premier League team, but his presence in the side has been difficult for Faith to witness. 'For the first time in my life, I watched a game and I didn't even want us to win,' she explains. 'I just thought, 'This is so wrong' and couldn't get past the idea that he would always be part of our history. It's appalling.' We cannot name the player or his club for legal reasons. We also cannot identify the women who have complained as, in the UK, alleged victims of sexual abuse are entitled to anonymity for life. The UK takes a strict line on the right to privacy. As an example, when we asked the Metropolitan Police, the force that polices Greater London, for an update on this case, it asked us to remove the individual's occupation from the subject line of our email. The force politely explained that they never reveal the occupations of people they question under caution. However, the balancing act between privacy and public interest would tip towards the latter if the player is charged by the CPS. If that happens, we and every other UK-based outlet will be able to publish the name that many of you already know. For now, however, comments on the piece will be turned off and any posts we put out on social media will not be open for replies. We are also aware that the player is not guilty until proven otherwise and has not even been charged. This means the CPS has not yet decided if it thinks it has a reasonable chance of gaining a conviction based on the evidence the police have gathered. That is why we cannot even risk providing clues for what is known as jigsaw identification, so Faith is not our conflicted fan's real name. But she is not alone with her concerns about how football is dealing with violence against women and girls — far from it. 'This situation was an opportunity to plant a flag and demand accountability in the way professional athletes behave around women,' says Atu, another football fan whom we will identify only by his first name. 'But every time this player does something good on the pitch, I feel a sense of disappointment, as well as some anger and frustration at the club. Advertisement 'I want him gone… but I recognise that, from a legal perspective, they (his club) may have limited options.' That is certainly the club's position, although they, like the Premier League, English Football Association and players' trade union the Professional Footballers' Association, declined to comment for this piece. But that is just about the only consistency we could find when speaking to people about this. For it is not just the inconsistency of football's approach to these cases that is problematic; there is also no consistency within the game. 'It's a systemic failure,' says Nazir Afzal, the former Chief Crown Prosecutor for North West England. Dev Kumar Parmar is the principal director at global law firm Parmars Sports and his client Beryly Lubala, who played for Wycombe Wanderers last season, was charged and then cleared of a rape allegation in 2022. 'From a strictly legal point of view, I completely understand why any club would continue to play someone who has not been charged with an offence, because, until that point, the allegations are conjecture,' Kumar Parmar explains. 'For a club to act before that point, it would risk opening itself up to litigation from the player for breach of contract. So they must protect themselves. 'But there is also a duty of care to their employee, who is not guilty until proven otherwise. And our system is very strict on privacy, as was reinforced by a recent Supreme Court ruling about a case involving a high-profile businessman.' This case is known as Bloomberg LP v ZXC and it resulted in the UK's highest court ruling in 2022 that someone under criminal investigation has a 'reasonable expectation of privacy' until they are charged. So, as Kumar Parmar puts it, the club in question here has behaved legally. But that is not the same thing as behaving morally, is it? Advertisement 'The fact that the accused in these cases has been able to continue his working life is wrong and clearly sends the wrong message for such serious allegations as rape and sexual assault,' says Dino Nocivelli, a sexual abuse claims lawyer with English firm Leigh Day. 'The player should have been suspended while his club and the Football Association investigated the allegations, with no prospect of resuming his work until the investigations were concluded. 'It is bad enough that victims of alleged sexual assaults have to endure lengthy delays in the criminal justice system, but even worse that the victim continues to see their alleged attacker in the public eye.' Nocivelli points out that if he, a lawyer, was under investigation for an offence as serious as rape, he would be suspended, as would a doctor, teacher and many other professions, too. He also suggests that if the player is convicted, fans and sponsors of his club could potentially sue them if they have bought a shirt with his name and number on it or used him in a marketing campaign. Afzal believes clubs 'hide behind the legal process' and that football should use the civil burden of proof for deciding if a player, coach or official should be sacked. 'I was the chair of the Catholic Church's safeguarding standards agency,' he says. 'If a priest did something terrible but it wasn't bad enough for a criminal conviction, the church would still take action against him. ''Beyond reasonable doubt' is a very high threshold but it should not be the bar for disciplinary action. The General Medical Council will strike off doctors that have been cleared of a crime by the courts but whose behaviour is still short of the industry's own standards. Football could and should do the same.' Instead, however, football has a lottery-style approach to handling allegations of sexual assault. Advertisement When Manchester United star Mason Greenwood was arrested on suspicion of rape, causing actual bodily harm and making threats to kill in January 2022, protecting his privacy was not an issue as the allegations emerged via social media. But United quickly announced he would not train or play for the club 'until further notice' and then suspended him on full pay, long before he was charged in October of that year. Greenwood consistently denied all the allegations against him. Greenwood never played for his boyhood club again, despite the charges being dropped in February 2023 when the prosecution's main witness withdrew her cooperation. Now 23, he was initially loaned to Spain's Getafe and then sold to French side Marseille last summer. Another Premier League club suspended one of their players in 2021 when he was arrested on suspicion of multiple child sex offences. The player was also moved to a safe house while he waited for charges that never came. In 2023, 21 months after his arrest, the case was dropped, although he had already left the club by then. Neither the player nor his club have been named by the UK media. In contrast to these two cases, Yves Bissouma continued to play for his club Brighton & Hove Albion despite being arrested at a nightclub in the seaside city in October 2021 on suspicion of sexual assault. Brighton then sold him to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season for £25million, shortly before the police decided that he should face no further action. And then there was the very high-profile case of Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy, who continued to play for his club despite them being aware of an investigation into multiple allegations of rape and sexual assault. They, however, suspended him as soon as he was arrested in August 2021 and then stopped paying him a month later. The France international, who left the club once his contract expired in June 2023, was eventually cleared of all charges after two trials that year. He then took City to an industrial tribunal over a claim for £11million in unpaid wages. Last November, the tribunal ruled that he should be paid the majority of that sum. The 30-year-old is now playing for Zurich in the Swiss top flight. These four precedents demonstrate that different clubs handle these cases in very different ways. Three of the four players were suspended but only one of was actually charged, and he was eventually acquitted. 'All clubs should follow one game-wide policy,' argues Faith. 'At the moment, they all do their own thing. Advertisement 'Players under investigation for allegations as serious as this should be suspended. Having to watch someone who has been accused of four counts of rape play every week really is a slap in the face for the survivors. One survivor in this case said that she would never have met the player if she had known he had already been accused of sexual violence. 'Football appears to take this less seriously than someone sending a nasty tweet. There should also be a commitment to provide meaningful support to any victims.' A campaign led by the End Violence Against Women Coalition, gender justice campaigners Level Up and fans' group The Three Hijabis has called on the Premier League and the FA 'to adopt clear sexual-misconduct policies'. These include disciplinary action ranging from suspension without pay to lifetime bans, bringing in minimum standards for tackling violent behaviour and mandatory, gender-based violence training and prevention programmes for young players. 'So far, the Premier League has introduced mandatory consent training, but it has failed to consult women's and gender-justice experts during its development and refused to share its content, so we have no idea what is actually being taught,' says Level Up co-director Seyi Falodun-Liburd. 'The rest of our demands have been ignored.' The Premier League has partnered with a Cheshire-based company called LimeCulture and all academy and first-team players must now receive regular safeguarding lessons, with players and staff also taking a course in 'healthy relationships and sexual consent'. The league has not conducted an audit yet for this season but says all of its clubs met the training requirement last season. 'As the most popular sport in the UK, football has the power to shift public perceptions and behaviours,' says Falodun-Liburd. 'Whether they like it or not, footballers are role models. The Premier League, FA and football clubs must start by acknowledging that this isn't about one player — football has a serious problem with gender-based violence. 'As more women bravely speak out about the physical and sexual abuse they have experienced at the hands of footballers, managers and club bosses, we are seeing just how resistant the Premier League and FA are to taking action to end gender-based violence in football. 'Fans have a role to play in this, too. They have the power to demand their clubs take gender-based violence seriously. We're already seen fans mobilise to write open letters to clubs, hold match-day protests and amplify the issue on social media.' Afzal, whose successful prosecutions of paedophile gangs, so-called 'honour' murderers and high-profile rapists has made him a national figure, is also not convinced football is doing enough. The 62-year-old lawyer has spoken to the alleged victims of the unnamed Premier League footballer and they have told him they fear 'they would be ripped apart by the tabloids, the courts, social media'. Advertisement 'These cases are nearly always about men, but it is usually the character and credibility of their female accusers that comes under attack,' he explains. 'For high-profile cases, the character assassination is worse. So many victims feel that justice isn't worth pursuing. 'There is a power imbalance. The player will have access to the most expensive lawyers and crisis comms specialists. But they will also have thousands of fans who would rather believe them than the accuser and who will back them blindly and excuse any embarrassing details. 'These fans become weaponised and attack whoever has accused their favourite player. They are protecting the badge but they do not think about the values that the badge represents. 'So footballers have fame, wealth and adulation. There is a culture of entitlement and an undercurrent of misogyny. Women are a perk of success, consent is blurred. They get a workshop on consent but are they listening? 'These cases nearly always hinge on one person's word against another's. And every time one fails, victims come to me and say, 'What's the point?'. Trust is further eroded, which leads to silence. It's a systemic failure.' For Afzal, the idea that the clubs' and leagues' hands are tied is 'unbelievable', but he is also angry at how long this case — and so many others — has taken already. 'The bottom line is that sexual assault cases are not expedited,' he says. 'Yes, due process needs to take place but very little thought is given to supporting the alleged victims.' His advice to clubs is simple: stop hiding, issue simple statements to say you have received an allegation of a serious nature against an employee and you are cooperating fully, provide support to the victim and, in the worst cases, after a risk assessment, suspend the player. 'I have talked to the PFA and the leagues about this and told them that they should put the same amount of energy that they've put into campaigns against racism into addressing football's problem with sexual violence,' he adds. Advertisement While the player, his alleged victims, his club, journalists and everyone else with an interest in this case waits for the CPS to decide if it believes it has a winnable case, Faith and other fans are also looking for answers. 'We know there's a problem with sexism and misogyny in the men's game — we know it's bigger than one club,' she says. 'But I want my club to be part of the solution, not the problem.' (Illustration: Kelsea Petersen/The Athletic;,)
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
What and when is Hajj? An illustrated guide, answers to 10 common questions
An estimated 1.8 million Muslims are preparing to embark on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca which begins on June 4. The Hajj is the largest annual gathering of Muslims from all over the world and a once-in-a-lifetime journey for many. In this visual explainer, we cover 10 frequently asked questions about the Hajj, providing insights into its significance, rituals and preparations. The Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and it is the fifth and final pillar of Islam, along with declaration of faith (shahada), five daily prayers, obligatory charity (zakat), and fasting during the month of Ramadan. The word comes from the Arabic root 'h-j-j', which means 'intending a journey' or 'to set out for a definitive purpose'. It is obligatory once in a lifetime for all adult Muslims who are physically and financially able to undertake the journey. The Hajj is performed between the 8th and 12th (or 13th) of Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar. The timing falls roughly 70 days after the end of Ramadan, though this can vary slightly depending on the lunar cycle. In 2025, the Hajj will take place from June 4 to June 9, but many start arriving in the days and weeks ahead to prepare for the journey. Because the Islamic calendar follows a lunar cycle, with months lasting 29 or 30 days, the Hajj shifts 10 to 12 days earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar. Notably, this year marks the last time for the next 16 years that the Hajj will fall during Mecca's peak summer believe that the Hajj is a direct commandment from Allah (God), as outlined in the Muslim holy book, the Quran. It was affirmed during Prophet Muhammad's 'farewell pilgrimage' in 632 AD, in the 10th year of the Islamic calendar. Islamic tradition holds that the Kaaba, a stone structure draped in black silk at the centre of Mecca's Grand Mosque where many Hajj rituals take place, was built by Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ishmael (Ismaeel) under God's command. This marks the origins of the Hajj, which was instituted as a divine ritual for the first time. The journey is a spiritual one, and it is considered to allow Muslims to seek forgiveness, purify their souls and demonstrate their submission to God. The word Hajj is mentioned 12 times across the Quran, including one chapter named after it. Hajj also serves as a reminder of the Day of Judgement, and by performing it, Muslims follow the example of Prophet Abraham and his family, whose actions are commemorated during the pilgrimage rituals. Ultimately, it is a way to fulfil a key religious obligation and strengthen one's faith. The Hajj lasts five to six days, depending on how it is performed. It begins on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah, a day known as Tarwiyah, when many pilgrims travel to Mina, a desert valley located about 8 kilometres (5 miles) from Mecca, where they spend the night in preparation for the next day's rituals. It ends with Tashreeq days, where pilgrims return to Mina for the symbolic stoning of the Devil at a site called Jamarat, after which they perform final rituals to symbolise the end of the Hajj. Some may leave on the 12th if they complete their rites early, while others stay until the 13th. While the Hajj is a compulsory pilgrimage for all able-bodied Muslims once in their life, Umrah is a recommended smaller and simpler pilgrimage that Muslims can perform any time throughout the year. The graphic below shows some of the key differences between the Hajj and Umrah:Muslims perform many rites and rituals during the days of the Hajj, which can be explained in the following this day, Muslims from around the world celebrate the first day of Eid al-Adha, or the celebration of the sacrifice. Farewell Tawaf Before leaving Mecca, pilgrims perform a final Tawaf around the Kaaba, known as the Tawaf al-Wada or a 'farewell tawaf,' signifying a spiritual farewell to the holy sanctuary. There are three types of Hajj to facilitate the pilgrimage for Muslims from different locations and abilities: The etiquette of the Hajj bans several actions that are otherwise permitted in Islam, including sexual relations (and anything leading to it, like embracing or kissing), cursing, arguing, hunting, shaving or cutting hair and nails, using perfume, arranging or conducting a marriage, wearing stitched clothes (for men), covering the head (for men), and covering the face (for women). If a pilgrim unintentionally or unknowingly does something prohibited during the Hajj, there are usually specific actions and steps to rectify their situation. This often involves repentance, as well as making up for the mistake by offering charity or an animal sacrifice. Packing for the Hajj requires careful planning to ensure you have everything you need without overloading. The graphic below provides a practical checklist of things one should pack before embarking on the journey. Muslims mark the end of the Hajj with Eid al-Adha, celebrated on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah and lasting up to three days in many countries. The day begins with a special prayer shortly after sunrise, as Muslims gather in mosques or open areas wearing their finest clothes. The rest of the day is spent sharing meals, exchanging gifts, and visiting family and friends. The greeting 'Eid Mubarak', meaning 'Blessed Eid,' is commonly exchanged. Eid al-Adha also involves the ritual of animal sacrifice, known as Qurbani. Muslims who are able to do so sacrifice a sheep, goat, cow or camel, and the meat is divided into three parts: one for the family, one for relatives and friends, and one for those in need.
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Luke Littler's rumoured girlfriend Faith Millar spotted supporting teen prodigy during Premer League Darts final
Pair appeared to confirm their relationship with Instagram post Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LUKE LITTLER'S rumoured girlfriend was spotted supporting him at the Premier League Darts final. Littler, 18, missed out on defending his title in London. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Luke Littler's rumoured girlfriend was in attendance at the Premier League Darts final Credit: Sky Sports 7 Faith Millar sat alongside Littler's dad at the O2 Arena Credit: Sky Sports 7 Littler lost the final 11-8 to Luke Humphries Credit: Reuters 7 The pair appeared to confirm their relationship with this photo on Instagram in May Credit: Instagram Luke Humphries secured an 11-8 victory in the final at a packed-out O2 Arena. It was disappointment for Littler, who was cheered on by Faith Millar in the VIP section. Faith, 19, is a beautician from Wigan, just 15 miles from Littler's home town of Warrington. The duo struck up a friendship after meeting in February. READ MORE ON LUKE LITTLER LUK OUT Luke Littler narrowly avoids being hit by object thrown onto O2 stage Faith is said to have met Littler's parents by the time the pair were pictured in public for the first time in March. Littler and Faith left the Utilita Arena in Newcastle together after the darts star won night eight of this year's Premier League. And in May, they went public with a photo of Littler having his arm around Faith put on Instagram. The Nuke had not been in a relationship since splitting from ex-girlfriend Eloise Milburn in July last year. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS But during the final defeat to Humphries on Thursday night, the TV cameras cut briefly to the Littler support clan. And among them was Faith, cheering on her rumoured boyfriend in a red sleeveless top alongside Littler's dad Anthony Buckley and mum Lisa Littler. Luke Littler narrowly avoids being hit by object thrown onto O2 stage during Premier League Darts finals The darts superstar came from behind to edge past Gerwyn Price in the semi-finals, winning 10-7 against the Ice Man. But his dreams of repeating his heroic exploits of 12 months ago were dashed by a red-hot Humphries. 7 Humphries got his hands on the trophy at long last Credit: Reuters 7 Littler celebrated winning the 2024 Premier League with his ex-girlfriend Eloise Milburn Credit: instagram
Toronto Sun
6 days ago
- Toronto Sun
Disturbing video shows cop discovery of daycare dungeon holding dozens of children
Carla Faith, who was sentenced to six years in prison in August 2021, will soon make a bid for parole Carla Faith. (Colorado Springs Police Department) Colorado Springs Police Department Haunting footage shows the moment authorities discovered a concealed dungeon in the basement of a Colorado home where 26 children were kept. Carla Faith, 63, was sentenced to six years in prison after she was found guilty of child abuse and other charges in August 2021. Body-cam footage from the November 2019 discovery by the Colorado Springs Police Department was widely shared on social media over the weekend as the convicted child abuser makes a bid for freedom at a parole hearing in three months, KOAA reported. The video shows cops carrying out their search of Faith's Mountain Play Place daycare centre after receiving reports that the facility was caring for more children than permitted. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Carla Faith, who was an owner of a daycare hid 25 children in her home behind a secret door. This is exactly why I will never let anyone I don't know watch my kids.. This is so scary.. 😳🥺 — KᗴᒪᒪᗴY ✰ (@Patriotmom717) May 25, 2025 Children's music can be heard playing inside the residence as officers knock on the front door. No one answers but the music is abruptly turned off, the video shows. Officers eventually enter the home where Faith tells cops repeatedly that the property does not have a basement and 'the kids are at the park.' Officers then hear music playing from a vent and an unseen child crying, which launches their hunt in the chilling footage for a way to get downstairs. An officer soon finds a false wall covering the actual wall and pushes on it, sliding it over and revealing a set of stairs. Two daycare staffers are then found hiding 26 young children, who were hot, thirsty and wearing soiled diapers. Police responded to the daycare after a parent who dropped off a child that morning requested a welfare check. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The daycare, which was only licensed to care for six children, was closed along with another facility Faith owned. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Faith also had previously been cited for other violations while running daycares in homes in California in the 1990s. She was convicted in August 2021 of 26 counts of misdemeanor child abuse, a felony count of attempting to influence a public servant, and a misdemeanor count of running a childcare facility without a licence. Faith was sentenced to six years in prison in October 2021. Read More Three other daycare workers were initially arrested for misdemeanor child neglect but the charges against them were dropped. Faith appeared before a parole board in August 2024, KOAA reported, but she was not granted early release at the time. She will try again at a hearing in August. World Canada Music Olympics Toronto & GTA
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
SDPB holds free screening for town of Faith, SD
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB) will be holding a free screening of 'Greetings from Faith'–an episode of its Dakota Life series. According to a news release, it'll be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 4, at the Faith Community Center, 204 N. Main St. The special tells stories about what life is like in the town of Faith. Guests who aren't able to make it to the screening can watch it live on Thursday, June 12, at 8 p.m. on SDPB1 or at Inside KELOLAND: What to do in Sioux Falls this summer? Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
