«The fault of too many contacts in the field»- Corriere.it

Surgery to prevent further damage from occurring in the future. An operation whose consequences could potentially change his life. That’s what’s happening to Ched Evans34-year-old striker from Preston (tenth in the Championship, the B of English football) and the team’s top scorer with nine goals. The club has announced that its player will not be available for an extended period after developing a severe medical bulletin. But what is even more astounding are the causes that led to this extreme decision, that is – underlines the company in the press release – «The repeated high-force contacts Evans experienced weekly throughout his career.” Preston did not reveal in detail what type of injury it is, limiting itself to specifying that “it is more common in American football and rugby players”.

The goal, then the neck injury and the stoppage

Over the past week, Preston consulted with the country’s leading specialists to outline the type of surgery. In the meantime, the attacker will dedicate a long period of time to rehabilitation work: «The specific times for a potential return to the field will not be disclosed until the outcome of the surgery is clear. but all sides remain hopeful that Ched will return to play and score in our shirt», the note from the club. Evans’ last appearance dates back to March 14, against Rotherham. A game in which he scored (2-1 win) but which saw him leave prematurely due to a neck injury which forced him to miss the next two races: «Once you’ve had the surgery, we hope to see some light at the end of the tunnel. He will have to decide what he wants to do with his future and whatever he chooses we will support him 100%», the words of coach Ryan Lowe.

The charge of rape and prison

There’s a lot of talk about Evans’ story in England, so it’s not the first time it’s been on the front page, however. The 34-year-old had previously spent four years away from the pitch after he was found guilty in 2012 of raping a 19-year-old girl (then playing for Sheffield United). From there, two and a half years in prison before obtaining the cancellation of the sentence in 2016 after the review of the trial (it was demonstrated that the relationship with the woman had been consensual). Now the new stop.