Sports letter: Empty gesture

Sir: If Chelsea were to bow to public pressure and backtrack on their proposed reinstatement of Graham Rix to his job (Sports Letters, 31 March) it would be a transparent and morally impractical gesture on their part.

Sacking him to "make an example of him" would neither aid his rehabilitation nor deter similar offences by others any more than his prison sentence will do.

In fact if he resumes his position, the sight of Graham Rix - sex offender - being castigated in the media and villified by fans, will only serve as proof of football and society's contempt for what he did.

I believe Chelsea should not reappoint Rix because he will not be able to command the respect of players which is essential to his role as coach. Instead of seeing a veteran and leader, they would only see a pathetic example of a weak-willed middle-aged man.

ALAN GLYN

London