In a court appearance in London, 32-year-old Ghana international football star Thomas Partey pleaded not guilty to several charges. These charges include rape and sexual assault. The charges lead to five rape counts concerning two victims. There is a new, unrelated count of sexual assault involving a third woman. The violations as charged took place from April 2021 through June 2022. In the interim, Partey was a member of Premier League club Arsenal F.C.
Partey, pictured above arriving at court, appeared in person for a short hearing at Southwark Crown Court. He verified his name and date of birth, then proceeded to plead not guilty. He has been released on bail pending his trial. The trial date is currently scheduled for November 2, 2026. The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks. This amount of time allows for thorough discussion from both parties.
After departing North London giants Arsenal this past summer, Partey moved to Spanish La Liga juggernauts Villarreal. Just last week, he helped Arsenal seal a place in the Champions League knockout rounds by scoring against Spurs — one of the club’s biggest rivals. On that night, he came in off the bench in the second half. The Spurs fans made their feelings known by booing him every time he got near the ball.
The claims made against Partey have received significant coverage from the media, especially for a prominent figure like Partey in the world of football. As the major legal hurdles begin to play out, it is far from clear what this means for his political future. The entire football community should be encouraged, yet anxious to see how this case unfolds in the near term.
