Sigurdsson may join Wayne Rooney at DC United

Hope he makes a success of the rest of his career. A pity cos we could do with him ourselves now.

Surely if there are minors at the club training at Finch Farm, it's a safeguarding issue.

Mainly because of his price, I was never a big fan of him as a player, but I really wish him well from now on.

'I doubt we will ever know the truth being denied a chance to prove his innocence' — or Manchester Police to show their 'dubious evidence' in court!

I don't believe, however, that he has been treated appallingly by either Everton nor by most Everton supporters.

The time taken by the CPS was appalling although he will not be the first or last to be subjected to this treatment. I am not sure you can reach some objective ‘truth' over matters as complex as this is, some may find his behaviour stupid, distasteful and or immoral but that doesn't mean he broke the law.

Charges Dropped Against Footballer Gylfi Þór Sigurðsson

The man had charges leveled against him. There then commenced a 2-year investigation. While the investigation was ongoing, Everton and Iceland's National Team barred him from playing / dropped him.

I honestly don't know the details, but the question has to be asked:

Are you not innocent until proven guilty?

The man's life was ruined due to accusations, and then organizations not allowing the legal process to see itself through and basically cutting him. Like, why didn't we let him play until a decision was made as to his guilt or innocence?

Maybe he did some very unsavory things? I honestly don't know, and don't know the details. But jeez don't you, at a bare minimum, have an obligation especially under dodgy evidence, to assume innocence prior to leveling punishment?

Was never charged with a crime, never went to court.

Scary world these days.

Yes, innocent until proven guilty. But I think the club were worried over the backlash other clubs have received for taking that approach with others facing similar allegations, eg, Adam Johnson, Ched Evans.

Obviously Man City took a different approach with Mendy and it doesn't seem to have affected them reputationally or otherwise. In totally unrelated news, Arsenal are in a rush to try and sell Thomas Partey apparently.

Brendan, I got a text message off Andy earlier today, and he was saying he has got no internet until he gets home on Wednesday, and asked me to pass this message on to you, mate.

OK. The Club completely must protect itself, and particularly has to protect children FFS. I mean, if organizations aren't doing that, the world definitely has gone straight evil.

BUT!

You have to, absolutely have to, determine the legitimacy of the claims and ensure the accused has a "fair trial" and the legal system does it's job.

I think we actually paid Gylfi while he was under contract? So fair enough I suppose? But why not just suspend him with pay while the investigation was ongoing? And after what, 6 months to a year maybe(?), reinstate him while the incredibly arduous and lengthy investigation continues?

On a surface layer, this Siggurdon saga is concerning. Level an accusation, the opportunity to defend yourself isn't offered, the investigation into the accusation takes forever, and in the process you basically destroy a career.

Morally bankrupt people should just start making shit up about people they don't like is the lesson here?

Or is it Gylfi DID do this thing, the young lady (assuming lady...) was 18 (still disgusting and gross for the record), so it's all "legal" but Sigurdsson is close to pond scum anyhow?

Are the details of the investigation ever going to be released?

I dunno something seems off about all of this to me.

If he didn't deny being with this girl, and she was of legal age, what crime is there?

Now, I'm a one-girl kinda guy. Been married 27 years to one woman, the only woman, and I'm big on marital fidelity.

But in Europe and in soccer, "girlfriends" aren't out of the norm? I mean, there's like the term "WAGS" which basically tells the culture of wives and some dudes have "side girls".

So if Gylfi was with someone of legal age, what's the legal crime? Morally, in my opinion, shit's just wrong, simple as. But legally?

And then why in the word would it take TWO YEARS to figure this out??? That's ridiculous.

This whole thing is just beyond weird and I hope we find out the facts and truth of it all some day. I'm perplexed.

My verbiage above is brutally politically incorrect. "side girls", as an example, etc.

I, in no way whatsoever, am complicity debasing any woman, nor am I suggesting in any way women are sexual objects or property, or some such ludicrous notion.

I've seem people connect dots on TW that never, for a single second, even existed. So note.

I simply have no time or patience for political correctness, and the above is the best my feeble brain and limited vocabulary can accomplish to describe my rhetorical questions.

So anyone claiming anything nefarious, or claiming I've done wrong by using certain terms, do me one of two favors:

1. Keep it to yourself, you're delusional

2. Just piss off

An alternative explanation I have heard is that although she may have been underage he did not know that.

Which may of course not be true but would fit the fact of the harsh action taken against him…

That makes some sense of this. That surely has to be it?

Either way, Gylfi was married to a stupidly good-looking lady - like not mortal but goddess status pretty. Maybe she's a witch personality wise? Like SuperKaren? Who knows.

So Gylfi, just, why? Dude, go home to your wife m'man. Ain't that hard to do.

"But jeez don't you, at a bare minimum, have an obligation especially under dodgy evidence, to assume innocence prior to leveling punishment?"

In short no. There are certain offences in the UK where many organisations will suspend an employee if he/she is, I think, even being investigated by the police, never mind charged.

They are called "Safeguarding Policies"...I'm sure there must be something similar in the States?

(Sorry...see the debate has moved on quite a bit since I read Jamie #13)

Wait, once again? What the fuck did I mean by that? Did I mention English is my second language? Sorry

I like the idea in concept - especially and obviously in regards to minors! But man it can get awfully messy if the person accused is innocent!

I'm not sure about safeguard policies in the USA. Now's the time we need a Yank attorney on TW!

I think the argument also is that employers have a duty of care to their employees and not everyone will feel strong enough to work on regardless when being investigated for such an offence.

Even if they do feel strongly minded to work on regardless… that may not be the best option for them,

Haha. I think "English is my second language" just turned into the "get out of jail free" card!

Gracias, mi amigo. Que tenga un buen día!

The government have for many years also eviscerated the CPS's budget. Staff-wise they're on their knees, and have been for many years. .

Sigurdsson was investigated for allegedly seeking paedophile pornography on the internet.

Who knows, given the decision two years later to entirely discontinue the investigation into him?

That said, from personal experience, it's a mammoth and expensive task to prove beyond ALL reasonable doubt just WHICH individual sought out paedophile pornography off the internet on any computer at all.

The rumour I heard when I was back home was that he was the victim of an attempted blackmail over the interactions as he was unaware the girl was a minor. (How the hell can you establish that with any accuracy online??)

irrespective of the morality of actually doing it, he reported it to the police as attempted blackmail and found himself at the sticky end because of it.

But it's rumour. It ruined his life, that's not rumour. It was stupid without doubt but, if true, where is the justice? If it's stated there is no evidence to back it up then there is insufficient evidence to prove guilt.

But mud sticks irrespective of truth. But how true it is, only he knows. One thing though: neither party has sold the story to the media (yet?); if either were aggrieved by the CPS decision, you wouldn't know it.

If Siggy wasn't guilty of the alleged offense, he was treated unfairly. If he was, the victim is left without recourse by the inability of the authorities to file charges. We cannot know which.

Christine presumes DC United looked at Siggy's circumstances and decided to sign him. I presume Everton looked at the circumstances at the time and decided to suspend him. Both clubs talked to the player and acted on the best information available at the time.

And Jamie, innocent until proven guilty is a legal concept that does not in any way guarantee "fairness"... hundreds of people in the entertainment industry lost their livelihoods in the 1950s to anonymous accusations of alleged Communist connections. But Siggy was in fact protected by the presumption of innocence when the investigation ended due to the inability to prove guilt.

That means they have to investigate anyone who'd ever used that particular computer.

Then they have to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the allegedly criminal downloads had occurred when only the one suspect had had access to that particular computer.

Maybe his friends and/or family had accessed it – innocently or otherwise? Who now knows?

Had the mandate of civil, rather than criminal, courts been utilised, meaning that "balance of probabilities" (and all of us are subject to that in, to say the least, circumstances where some fucker is allegedly damaging your life) is the minimum proof required rather than the far more demanding "beyond all reasonable doubt" in the criminal court.

To me, Sigurdsson and his computer have issues to address, criminally or civilly.

In the meantime, he's a player we really could benefit from.

Sigurdsson has been treated badly. The Duke Lacrosse team got similar treatment but they had legal recourse.

As you say, mud does indeed stick. File this possibly under, “You reap what you sow.”??

Ed -

That Duke LAX story, bolstered by abject lies from mainstream media, the prosecutor withholding evidence, the spun narrative, etc.

That was the moment I realized it was time to stop trusting everything I read and watched.

And that was what? 2006? 2007? Look at where we are today and try not to cry.

All I know is what I see and believe to be true. The romourmongering media who have hardly got a decent journalist these days are worse than anyone.

What happened to impartiality that's now given way to sensationalism and clickbait?

I'm sick of it all.

"Justice delayed is Justice denied" – old proverb.

I agree with everything you've written. And I, too, am sick of it all. I fear for my sons circumnavigating life. It's a chore to ascertain the truth these days, and that can't make anything easy for this generation that is on the verge of adulthood and starting families. The AI thing scares the bajeezuz out of me.

DT @ 36 -

Wise words.

Andrew @ 37 -

Yes. But surely there needs to be some analysis of the present system? I have no answers, but a system that potentially can favor deceit for damage can't be the way? Surely there's a better system that I can't comprehend or figure out?

I have it on very good authority that that is exactly what happened.

The reality is that people way beyond my paygrade came up with the policies that govern these matters. It's probably worth pointing out that the approach has generally been agreed by both management and employee representatives.

Are the policies perfect? Certainly not but they are perhaps the least worst approach to handling these sensitive and difficult matters.