"You can’t help but think Arsenal, they wouldn’t just stand idly by." A woman accusing him said, referring to the Premier League club’s enormous influence over global fans.
She watched him play, well aware that it was a conscious choice by the club; despite significant legal and ethical questions surrounding whether Thomas was fit to continue representing the club, Arsenal still let him take the field.
The allegations against him, involving three women, date from 2021 to 2022. Thomas denies all charges. In a statement, his lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire from Hickman & Rose solicitors, said her client welcomed “finally having the opportunity to clear his name.”
Arsenal prides itself on adhering to rules, such as financial regulations governing football, which is one of the club’s core principles.
One victim claims she has been subjected to online abuse every time Thomas makes a contribution for Arsenal. Sometimes, the abuse is directed at her personally; other times, people use various derogatory or obscene remarks to attack those accusing Thomas.
“I get messages from fans regularly. They send me photos of him playing or scoring... I receive death threats, rape threats, even people saying they’ll set fire to me. If he scores, the violent threats get worse.”
In this report, The Athletic details the following:
In August 2021, Thomas was first arrested.
In September 2021, a woman contacted Arsenal to inform them of her distressing experiences with Thomas.
The police then also contacted Arsenal, informing the club that Thomas was under investigation for serious sexual assault.
When Arsenal negotiated a new contract with Partey earlier this year, they were aware that the Crown Prosecution Service (which decides whether to prosecute cases) was making a decision on whether to bring charges.
Arsenal said in a statement: “The player’s contract expired on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings, the club is unable to comment on the case.”
The woman mentioned in the first paragraph initially wrote to the club’s safeguarding team, which forwarded her account to the legal department.
Arsenal responded by stating that, given she was under 18, they were complying with all necessary safeguarding regulations.
She also reported the matter to the Football Association (FA), which gave a similar response, stating that her allegations fell outside the FA’s safeguarding remit. When The Athletic contacted the FA, it said it could no comment because a criminal investigation was ongoing.
In her phone calls and email exchanges with Arsenal, she occasionally felt that the people she dealt with—including some club executives—lacked the appropriate empathy.
Arsenal was later notified by the Metropolitan Police that Thomas was under investigation for serious sexual assault. For the remainder of Thomas’ time at Arsenal—and during contract negotiations in early summer this year—the club was aware he could face charges.
Despite telling the alleged victim they were taking the matter "extremely seriously," Thomas continued to play for Arsenal and was promoted through the club’s media channels.
In the days after she first complained to the club, Thomas featured prominently in several social media posts.
This continued intermittently in the following seasons. While his involvement in promotional and marketing materials appeared to decrease, his continued presence in the team meant he never fully disappeared from public view. At international level, he also represented Ghana at the 2022 World Cup.
Arsenal’s position never changed, and Thomas continued to play a key role for the club; he was first arrested in July 2022, and the case was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service in December 2024.
"It’s frustrating... even though the police made it clear to the club what the allegations were, and how serious [the alleged crimes] were," the woman said.
