A Premier League footballer has been questioned further by police and an investigation is continuing into the alleged rape of three women and sexual assault of a fourth, the BBC can reveal.
This happens a year later a BBC News investigationwho spoke to five women who accused the Premier League player of rape, sexual assault or controlling behavior.
Although four women the man we players
A woman told the BBC that the lack of action from the club and the football Association contributed to her attempting to take her own life.
“I didn't want to live in a world where I was constantly reminded that rape allegations can be ignored as long as you're talented enough,” she explained.
Another woman said she believed that if Player X had been suspended after the first allegation, she would not have been sexually abused.
football associations say they take sexual misconduct very seriously.
The BBC has confirmed that the footballer attended a police station on Thursday November 7 and was questioned under caution – the first time he had been questioned about a rape allegation reported by a fourth woman last year.
It's been two and a half years since the player. Shortly after, he was also arrested over a previous rape allegation made by a second woman, who reported him to the police in August 2021.
Player X was interviewed by police in February 2023 about allegations of sexual assault by a third woman.
Privacy rules around identifying suspects mean the BBC is not naming the footballer. According to the BBC, the player has denied wrongdoing.
One of the women, who we'll call Kira, has players
“This investigation, my only chance for justice, has exhausted me physically and mentally… the longer this investigation drags on, the more my trust in the system diminishes,” she told the BBC.
The BBC investigation last November found that seven out of 20 Premier League clubs had launched police investigations into players or bosses for sexual offenses since 2020.
However, the boards only have rules on how to respond to allegations of this type if they arise in a “football environment” or if the concerns relate to children or vulnerable adults. They therefore say that the allegations against Player X do not fall within their protection requirements.
This contrasts with the approach in the United States, where the National football League (NFL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) have publicly available policies for players or employees accused of sexual or domestic violence.
The women told the BBC last November that the club, the Football Association and the Premier League were putting commercial interests ahead of women's safety.
The celebrity status of top footballers has led to calls for players implicated in criminal allegations to be suspended until they are fully resolved.
Dame Caroline Dineage, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, told the BBC last year that because of footballers' public role models, it was crucial to deal appropriately with allegations of sexual abuse.
“As part of the new regulator’s role in setting licensing conditions, we want it to have the power to hold clubs to account for their approach and lack of progress when it comes to improving all aspects of equality, diversity and inclusion,” she added.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport told the BBC that this was a police, FA and Premier League matter as investigations were ongoing.
After first going to the police in August 2021, Kira sent an email “in desperation” to the FA, the Premier League and the club about her allegations the following month, as she was concerned that he was during the investigation could continue to play on such a large platform.
The club informed her that it was not allowed to discuss her allegations for legal reasons. The Premier League referred them to the FA.
More than four months after she contacted the FA about her allegations, they emailed her to say it could take “no further action” as the alleged behavior did not breach its rules.
It said there was “no evidence” that Player X “poses a risk of harm to vulnerable children or adults.” It sent her a PDF document titled “Football's Safeguarding Children Policy,” which did not apply to her.
“They hid behind their lack of policies, even though they knew the regulations they put in place were meant to protect profits, not victims,” Kira says.
In July 2024, Kira contacted the club, the Premier League and the FA again – providing them with evidence that she was a “vulnerable adult”.
In an email seen by the BBC, the club said they had forwarded their correspondence to the Premier League and the FA. The Premier League told her she was unable to discuss the allegations, which are currently being investigated by police. And the FA told her it could not provide any details or updates on whether FA intervention had been taken.
“We also refer to our email … in which we stated that we are not the person’s employer,” it continues.
Speaking about the reaction, Kira told the BBC her correspondence had “reinforced the devastating message that I don't matter, that more women coming forward don't matter and that it will never matter, even if I do meet the protection requirements.”
Another woman – Mia – says she believes if the FA and club had acted when a rape allegation was first brought to their attention in 2021, she would not have later gone to Player X's home where he allegedly sexually assaulted her has.
“If they had decided to take the first allegation seriously… if they had suspended him, I would never have been in the situation I found myself in that day,” she told the BBC.
“Your decision caused me pain,” she said.
While the FA has detailed guidelines for players accused of betting on the match, there are no similar guidelines for players accused of sexual or domestic violence outside of the football environment.
Clubs' reactions to players and senior figures under police investigation for such offenses vary – some opt for a ban, others not.
Some lawyers in the UK have highlighted the many legal difficulties football clubs face when considering how to deal with a player accused of sexual or domestic violence in the absence of comprehensive rules.
This month Benjamin Mendy successfully sued Manchester City over his unpaid wages during his suspension after being charged with rape and sexual assault in 2021 and later found not guilty on all counts.
A Met spokesman said: “Met officials are investigating following a number of reports of alleged sexual offenses between 2021 and 2023.”
“A man in his 30s was arrested in July 2022. He has since been questioned by police twice more under caution.
“The investigation is ongoing and investigators continue to conduct in-depth and detailed investigations. Those who have reported to police will continue to receive support from Met officers.”
The football club and the Premier League told us they could not comment on the ongoing police investigation.
An FA spokesman added: “Our safeguarding policies and procedures enable us to support and protect vulnerable children and adults in a football-related environment.”
“Regardless of where the incident occurred, we always carry out a thorough safety risk assessment and take the appropriate action if we believe there is a risk of harm to children if the individual plays a role in football. We cannot comment on this. “However, this does not mean that we have not taken the necessary measures or taken appropriate protective measures in our area of responsibility.”
And if you are affected by any of the issues in this story, Contact the BBC Action Line Details of advice and support can be found here.