Ronnie Gibbons, the former captain of the Fulham women’s football team, claims she was “groped” by the former patron of luxury store Harrods, Mohamed Al Fayed, according to the BBC.
The Egyptian businessman is accused of “groping” Gibbons/PHOTO: Video Capture
The former Harrods boss is accused of trying to “forcibly” kiss her in his store in 2000 when she was 20. Harrods is a British luxury department store located in London, United Kingdom. Gibbons, the team captain, recounts how she was taken by team staff to the British store where she was left alone with the 70-year-old businessman.
“He pulled me close and tried to kiss me on the mouth. He had his hands on my arms so I couldn’t push him away or anything like that. It was a kind of control position, like ‘I dominate you’. I was thinking: What am I doing here? I felt a huge responsibility on my shoulders at that moment, because I had just turned professional.”confessed the former footballer.
In 2000, Fulham club women’s team, also known as Fulham Ladies, became the first women’s football team in Europe to turn professional.
At the next meeting to which she was called, she tells how he groped her, and when the man was saying goodbye, he held onto her, trying to kiss her.
“By telling the truth and finally telling my story, I hope it will help me heal and let go of the shame, embarrassment and pain I’ve carried for years.”she stated.
The football club condemns all forms of abuse that have taken place and remain in the process of establishing whether anyone has been affected by Mohamed Al Fayed.
“We unequivocally condemn all forms of abuse. We remain in the process of establishing whether anyone at the club is or may have been affected by Mohamed Al Fayed in any way as described in recent reports.”Fulham FC told the BBC.
The Metropolitan Police announced it had received 40 new allegations last week, including sexual assault and rape, against Al Fayed. The allegations follow a BBC podcast about the billionaire’s victims, who were Harrods employees.
Former Fulham women’s team manager Gaute Haugenes said he took precautions to protect the players from Al Fayed. Speaking to the BBC on Friday, Haugenes, who is Norwegian, said he could completely understand her frustration. “All I can say is that I am very sorry that I said anything that could have added fuel to the fire. Honestly, I thought I protected the players.” he said.
“I knew she liked Ronnie because all the girls were joking about it. But I thought he was an old man and she was a young woman. I was 30 at the time, I didn’t think people his age thought about sex. Maybe I was naive, maybe because of language barriers I didn’t notice the details of their jokes.”, he also stated.
A spokesperson for Harrods declares “absolutely terrified” of allegations of abuse committed by Al Fayed.
