What is Wander Franco being accused of? Alleged affair with underage woman could end MLB career, attorney proclaims

Modified Aug 18, 2023 11:33 GMT

Wander Franco is accused of dating a minor

Wander Franco has been accused of having a relationship with a 14-year-old girl (the Tampa Bay Rays star is 22) and the reports have quickly become the talk of baseball. After being removed from the Rays' game on Sunday, the MLB has opened an investigation into the alleged relationship and the social media posts that surfaced.

Juan Recio, a Dominican attorney, has stated that there are no excuses, even differing cultures and norms, for Franco's actions, if proven to be true.

“It’s important to understand that in our legislation, there are no consensual relationships between a minor and an adult. There are no mitigating factors,” he was quoted as saying by the Tampa Bay Times.

Regardless of how other countries do things, there is no excuse for this kind of relationship according to Recio.

How the world is taking the Wander Franco allegations

Others believe baseball is a pure enough sport that this kind of thing has to be treated with the utmost importance. ESPN Deported reporter Enrique Rojas said:

“One thing is for sure: Baseball is both a conservative and family-oriented sport. While some individuals might remain unaffected by a tarnished reputation, that’s not the case in baseball. It’s rare to hear about a baseball player being involved in such a relationship. And even in a country as liberal as this, there’s a strict stance against offenses related to sexual activities with minors.”

Rays fans are disappointed in Wander Franco

A Dominican Rays fan says he's not interested in supporting Wander Franco in any facet after this:

“The allegations are so serious that they can impact the future of one of our best players. I would no longer like to support him as a player, because he is involved in something so delicate.”