Club press officer vetoes question after Pulisic is asked for his view on the biggest talking point in his home country
Christian Pulisic (left) has previously spoken about gun control laws in the US...CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Chelsea blocked a question to Christian Pulisic on gun control in the United States following a number of mass shootings in the country in which his club are currently touring.
As head coach Thomas Tuchel waits to find out if Chelsea can wrap up a deal for Jules Kounde and prepares for his team’s second pre-season friendly against Charlotte FC, Pulisic was asked for his view on the biggest talking point in his home country.
Pulisic, the most famous face of the US national team, was given the opportunity to add his voice to the debate surrounding gun legislation just two days after the latest shooting in Indiana.
But a club press officer vetoed the question and did not allow Pulisic to answer (watch video below), despite the fact the forward has spoken on the subject in the past and is a member of the US team who penned a letter calling on Congress to pass gun control legislation.
Other than writing a letter to Congress, the US team wore orange armbands as part of a gun control movement and Pulisic last month said: “I hope you guys can all realise why we did it. I think people can say, ‘It’s not the guns, it’s the people’, but we have to start somewhere. And [the letter] was where we wanted to start.”
A number of US sports stars have used their platforms to speak out about gun legislation, including teenage tennis player Coco Gauff after the French Open.
But it is understood that neither Pulisic nor Chelsea thought it was the right time for him to comment on the subject again and risk entering a US political debate while on pre-season tour with his club.
Pulisic was comfortable discussing football issues and the 23-year-old faces greater competition for his Chelsea place from new signing Raheem Sterling, who Tuchel confirmed will make his debut against Charlotte on Wednesday night.
Tuchel was less optimistic about the possibility of Chelsea’s other new signing, Kalidou Koulibaly, being ready to play. The Blues are hoping to now add Kounde to their list of summer signings after lodging a bid for the France international with Sevilla.
Kalidou Koulibaly training with Chelsea
Chelsea and Sevilla are in advanced negotiations over Kounde, who is thought to have already agreed personal terms with the Premier League club. Tuchel also still wants Paris St-Germain’s Presnel Kimpembe.
A deal for Kounde could give Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta the green light to return to Spain and join Barcelona.
Confirming Sterling, who has taken the No 17 shirt for pre-season, will start against Charlotte, Tuchel said: “Raheem is absolutely ready to go. He will be on the pitch and I am happy about that, and he is excited to play his first match.”
Raheem Sterling will start against Charlotte
On Koulibaly’s chances of playing on Wednesday night, the German said: “We are a bit torn and I have to speak to him to be honest about what we do. We will decide later in the afternoon (on Wednesday).
“He has done some training sessions with us, but he is still in a very individual programme so no double sessions on the pitch. He trains with the team, but of course as you can imagine there are players who are in their third week of preparation and at a completely different level of foundation physically.
“I don’t want to rule it out completely but it is very likely that he will not play, we will not see him on the pitch. And I’m happy because he is a calm guy and you can see his quality on the pitch, his leadership. He has a certain personality that you feel when he is there and he is good for us.”
