The BBC has apologised for mistakingly showing a picture of Raheem Sterling while reporting on a Premier League player who had been arrested on suspicion of rape.
The broadcaster was running a news segment about an unnamed Premier League player who had not been suspended by their club despite knowing about the allegations.
The player was arrested in north London earlier this month and taken into custody, and later there were two new allegations, by different women, against the same player.
However, in their segment, the BBC mistakenly broadcast a picture of newly signed Chelsea player Raheem Sterling in what appeared to be a technical mishap.
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Mike Bushell from the BBC began: “A Premier League player arrested on suspicion of rape has not been suspended and can fulfil his professional…”
However, in what appeared to be the broadcaster realising their mistake, Bushell quickly trailed off and cut the news segment short.
He said: “We’ll have more on that story a bit later on.
“Was going to say, they can still travel, the player has not been named, still can travel and fulfil the arrangements of the team’s pre-season.
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"We don’t know the team, we don’t know the player either.”
Viewers users were quick to slam the BBC online with the error not going unnoticed.
One wrote on Twitter: “Did anyone else just see the BBC News mention a footballer and rape allegations, with a picture of Raheem Sterling, that was suddenly removed and the presenter try to change the subject?! What’s going on?”
Another said: “Horrendous error. No excuse not being careful around such a delicate subject. Was the report prior to that about Sterling and Chelsea and the image wasn’t taken down? If the image was chosen for that story that’s really really bad.”
The BBC News channel later issued an on-air apology following the error.
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They said: “In our sports bulletin this morning, owing to a technical error the wrong picture appeared in connection with the story of a Premier League player arrested over alleged sexual offences.
“A picture of a different and wholly unconnected player was shown. We apologise for this mistake.”
Whilst the player could not be named, it was claimed that his club had known about an allegation of rape against him last season, and continued to allow him to play.
And now it's come to light that they have no plans on suspending him from playing for them, as he continues to be part of a police investigation.
Topics: Football, Premier League, Raheem Sterling
Jayden Collins