Ched Evans petition - A petition against the reinstatement of Ched Evans at Sheffield United has gathered over 150,000 signatures. Ched Evans, a Welsh footballer, was convicted of raping a 19 years old woman in 2012.
Reports indicate that following his release from prison on Oct. 17, Evans, who has always maintained that he is innocent, has tried to return to his former team.
The Ched Evans petition is hosted on change.org and addressed to Kevin McCabe, the chairman of Sheffield United.
"To even consider reinstating him as a player at the same club is a deep insult to the woman who was raped and to all women like her who have suffered at the hands of a rapist," the Ched Evans petition reads.
Sheffield United officially parted with the player a month after his conviction.
The Ched Evans petition started to gather momentum after the club allowed the player to train with his former teammates. Although Sheffield United has officially announced that there are no plans to re-sign him yet. The club insists that the former striker was only allowed to train in order to regain his fitness after the Press Association Sport made the request.
But local sources this has not gone down well with a lot of people, especially organizations against sexual assault and ending violence against women.
Charlie Webster, a television presenter and patron of Sheffield United, resigned from her position in protest to protest against the club's decision to allow Evans return to training.
"My decision is made on the fact that I don't believe a convicted rapist, as in Ched Evans, should go back to a club that I am a patron of and should go back to the community to represent the community," Webster said.
End Violence Against Women Coalition have also released a statement condemning the clubs move to allow the 25 year old return to training.
"Footballers are critical role models for young men and women in particular, and the player concerned is now set to return to top flight football when he has shown no remorse for his crime," Sarah Green, spokeswoman for VAWC said.
However, not everyone is willing to support the Ched Evans petition. The Professional Footballers' Association has apparently allowed him to train and is even willing to welcome him back to the pitch.
Ched Evans says he hopes to return to playing football professionally. "If that is possible then I will do so with humility, having learnt a very painful lesson," he said in a statement.
Evans and another footballer, Clayton McDonald, were found guilty of raping the woman in April 2012 after the court established that she was too tipsy to consent. Sheffield bought the striker from Manchester City in 2009 for £3 million. He scored 42 goals in 103 games for the team.
The Ched Evans petition is definitely gaining momentum. But it remains to be seen if it will stop the player from returning to the sport.
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