A Scottish ice hockey team has suspended its chief executive and head coach after an aborted signing of a player accused of rape.
Glasgow Clan announced the signing of Finnish defender Lasse Uusivirta on Thursday but backed out of the deal later that day.
Chairman Neil Black released a further statement on Friday, stating he was made aware of a "major situation which merits further internal investigation" at 7.45pm yesterday.
The statement added that this "led to the immediate suspension of both the Clan chief executive Gareth Chalmers & the Clan head coach Malcolm Cameron.”
Reports in the United States say that Uusivirta left the country in 2013 shortly after being arrested over the alleged rape of a fellow student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
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He was told he would not face extradition but would be arrested if he ever returned to the US.
The 33-year-old has since played for teams in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Austria and Italy.
Rape Crisis Scotland said the signing men accused of alleged sexual crimes "sends the entirely wrong message".
A spokesperson said: "Earlier this year, we were deeply disappointed by Raith Rovers FC's decision to David Goodwillie, who was found by a senior judge to be a rapist.
"Yesterday, we found ourselves again discouraged by the actions of management in Scottish sports when Glasgow Clan ice hockey club announced the signing of Lasse Uusivirta, who was arrested on allegations of a rape charge in the US in 2013 and left the country before he could be brought to trial.
"Signing men who have been accused of sexual crimes sends the entirely wrong message, it says that men's athletic abilities are worth more than the lives of the women they've harmed.
"These decisions can be retraumatising for survivors and decision-makers must be held accountable for the harm caused by their actions."
It comes as Raith Rovers have announced the departure of David Goodwillie eight months after his signing.
Rovers lost sponsors including author Val McDermid, plus directors and employees and saw their women’s team cut ties with the club after signing the former Scotland striker, who was ruled by a judge at a civil court case in 2017 to have raped a woman.
The 33-year-old did not play a single game for the cinch Championship club after signing a contract that was due to run until 2024.
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