It’s well understood that football players are a bit dense, but those running football clubs are sometimes lacking in grey matter as well:
Paris St-Germain full-back Serge Aurier has been stopped from entering the United Kingdom by authorities before Wednesday’s Champions League match at Arsenal.
The Ivorian, 23, was given a two-month suspended prison sentence in September for assaulting a police officer.
…
Aurier is appealing his conviction, leading PSG to believe he is entitled to be presumed innocent.
“Paris Saint-Germain strongly regrets that the presumption of innocence has not influenced Britain’s decision,” said the French champions in a statement.
He’s been convicted. By definition he’s not innocent, and those appealing a conviction are not presumed to be either.
Odd this. Normally the UK ‘border farce’ wouldn’t stop him if he arrived in the back of a lorry or paddled his way from France in a pedalo nicked from Calais fun fair.
The moral of this story? Take a poke at a player from the opposing team on the field, and you’ll get a red card (but probably live to play another day). Doing it off-pitch, to police, is rather different.
Normally the UK ‘border farce’ wouldn’t stop him if he arrived in the back of a lorry or paddled his way from France in a pedalo nicked from Calais fun fair.
Indeed, he should have said he is twelve years old and in need of schooling. Part of which might well be true.
“He’s been convicted. By definition he’s not innocent, and those appealing a conviction are not presumed to be either.”
It depends on the legal system. That’s obviously true of English-law jurisdictions. However, in some systems rooted in Roman law and Napoleon’s code, a conviction by a trial court has to be approved by a court of appeals to take effect; until then, the presumption of innocence applies.
I don’t know how it works in France because it has at least three different types of trial courts: a jury panel for serious crimes, a “correctional tribunal” for less serious offenses, and a “police tribunal” for offenses only punishable by fines. My guess is the guy went through a “correctional tribunal” so he should be entitled to an appeal on the merits but you’re in a better position to find out.
Alex,
Fair point, I didn’t know that about the differing legal systems. But one would have thought the British Home Office would know.
The Home Office has made itself look like some third world regime trying to rig a football match. What chumps.
But it’s easier to bully a footballer than actually do your job of keeping undesirables out of the country.
dearieme,
Indeed, he was an easy target. It’s the same as when footballers have trouble getting a work permit in the UK when they stand to make millions and pay millions in taxes and are absolutely no burden on the taxpayer whatsoever. But hey, let’s take in a few million folk who need supporting.