British officials talk about Thomas case: Standards for protecting women should be set, and management of high-income stars is lacking

The British Secretary of Culture urged the football community to set a minimum standard for protecting women, the Telegraph reported.

After Thomas Parthie faces rape charges, the Culture Secretary calls on the football community to set "minimum standards" to "protect women." Arsenal club has received strong criticism from activists for continuing to let Thomas play within three years of his first arrest in July 2022. Culture, media and sports minister Lisa Nandy said she was concerned that the club did not have a "standard practice" when facing accusations of sexual assault by highly paid players.

In an interview with Gaby Logan's Sports Agent podcast, she said: "I think there is a problem here, that is, there is no minimum standard, and there is no standard practice and expectation to guide the club how to deal with this situation. I want to see the clubs unite and achieve a standard practice to ensure that women are protected in this situation, which will be an important topic I discuss with them."

Thomas was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault on Friday, and Arsenal was immediately questioned because he has been playing for the team for the three years. The 32-year-old is one of the club's top earners and remains a key figure in three straight seasons of championship competition and last season's Champions League semi-finals after his first arrest. Football has responded to allegations of player rape over the years. United suspended Greenwood's game immediately after his arrest in January 2022, but he still received his full salary. The charges facing Greenwood, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped on February 2, 2023.

Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy was suspended unpaid until her departure from the club in June 2023 after being charged with rape and sexual assault in August 2021. However, after clearing the charges, Mendy won a labor arbitration last year, ruling that he is entitled to most of the unpaid wages that Manchester City owes him.

Nandi said in the podcast that she had discussed with some clubs about the allegations of former Fulham boss Mohamed Al Fayed: "After the allegations of Mohamed Al Fayed, I began to talk to many clubs, and these historic allegations not only involve the football world, but also affect women who have worked and played in the football world." She added that the case about Thomas must allow it to "natural development", but it is recommended that further discussions with the clubs are being discussed.

Nandy: "The government should not tell the club what to do or what not to do, but I think government ministers, including Stephanie Pecock and me, do have the responsibility to have a dialogue with the club and work to ensure that women in the football world are properly protected and supported. There is a special issue here, that is, there is a power dynamic. Football stars are stars, they have very high incomes and are regarded as important assets of the club, not only financially but also on the court. Because Here, there is a power imbalance here, and there must be appropriate standards and high standards to manage these things. You can’t just rely on people with lower positions and less economic value to the institutions to try to change the status quo. That’s why I think the government has a real role here, namely, to gather all parties and ensure action is taken. ”

Arsenal Fan Organization member Faduma Hassan published an article in the Sports Edition of the Daily Telegraph, saying that “institutional failures are far more than my club.” She also added: "The Premier League and the FA have no clear agreement. The club pushes the responsibility to the FA, and the FA pushes the responsibility back to the club. This is not a loophole, but an abyss of responsibility."

Thomas denied the allegations and said he "welcomes the opportunity to clarify his name." It is understood that Arsenal Club has been following legal advice throughout the process. "The player's contract ended on June 30 and the club was unable to comment on the case due to ongoing legal proceedings."