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ICE HOCKEY SCANDAL
AN APPALLING video has proved that Glasgow Clan DID know about Lasse Uusivirta's rape charge history before they tried to sign him - but they falsely claimed he was CLEARED on the tape.
The Scottish ice hockey club was forced into a dramatic U-turn within the space of just a few hours as they signed and then effectively unsigned the Finnish defenceman, following a backlash from livid fans.
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The Clan also suspended their head coach and chief executive, pending an internal investigation.
Uusivirta, 33, was arrested and charged with first-degree rape in 2013 following an incident at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) in January of that year.
He admitted to campus police officers that he had non-consensual sex with another student but the matter was never reported by the campus cops to the local police department.
An 18-year-old student was contacted by the university's police sergeant and notified that Uusivirta had confessed to raping her.
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However Uusivirta has never faced justice. He appealed his expulsion from UAH, allowing him to remain on campus and continuing to play ice hockey for the university's team. He bumped into his accuser in between classes.
The victim initially wanted the case to be dealt with by the university's student conduct board but when they elected not to punish Uusivirta further, she wanted to have him criminally prosecuted.
After being arrested and charged with first-degree rape in April, Uusivirta fled the USA to his native Finland to avoid an indictment.
Prosecutors said they wouldn't seek to bring him back to the country to face the charge but that if he ever did return, the charge would be waiting for him.
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Now an interview Glasgow Clan filmed with Uusivirta as they prepared to unveil him as a new signing has surfaced, and it shows the club knew about the allegations but falsely tried to claim he was "cleared of all charges."
In the astonishing segment, interviewer Craig Anderson said: "Earlier in your life, in your career, something that happened roughly ten years ago, there was an incident that allegedly took place in North America.
"I'm in no way going to go into any details about what happened or what didn't happen, that's not what we're here to do."
At this point, the interviewer incorrectly claims that Uusivirta was cleared of all charges.
The interviewer said: "But you were absolutely cleared of any charges, let's be clear on that."
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He continued: "Being mindful... is it something you have to prepare for when you move to a new club, that you might need to speak about it?"
Uusivirta replied: "Yeah, it's something me and my agent always either ourselves bring it up or it comes up but it's something I prefer to talk about because obviously it's out there and you can easily find the headlines about it."
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