Ronnie Gibbons, a former Fulham ladies’s captain, has alleged she was sexually assaulted by Mohamed Al Fayed, the membership’s late proprietor, in 2000.
Gibbons, who was 20 on the time, mentioned she was forcefully kissed, groped and had twice felt trapped in a room by Fayed, who owned Fulham between 1997 and 2013 and died in 2023.
On 11 October the Metropolitan police confirmed it was investigating 40 new allegations, together with of rape and sexual assault, regarding Fayed stretching again to 1979, after the published of a BBC documentary concerning the former proprietor of Harrods. They’re along with allegations regarding 21 ladies reported to the power between 2005 and 2023.
Gibbons, a defender who was a part of the Fulham squad that received a home treble in 2003 and in addition performed at worldwide degree for the Republic of Eire, informed the Athletic: “Talking my reality and eventually telling my story will hopefully assist me heal and be rid of the disgrace, embarrassment and ache I’ve carried for years. If this may also help one individual open up and realise it’s not your fault and be freed from the identical burdens, then I’ll be blissful.”
Now 44, Gibbons is the primary former Fulham footballer to publicly element allegations about Fayed. A press release issued by the Justice for Harrods Survivors group mentioned: “What former Fulham captain Ronnie Gibbons was pressured to endure by the hands of Mohamed Al Fayed is yet one more horrible instance of the monstrous abuse aided and abetted by the companies he owned.
“We salute our shopper’s bravery and are proud to advocate for Ronnie and others at Fulham who’re looking for justice. We’ll do no matter we will to elevate the lid on abuse, regardless of the place it was perpetrated, or who it was perpetrated by, together with any enablers of Al Fayed’s abhorrent behaviour.”
Describing the primary of two separate incidents the place she felt trapped in a room on the Harrods division retailer in London, Gibbons mentioned: “He pulled me in shut and tried to kiss me on the mouth. He had his arms holding my arms. It was an actual type of management stance, like ‘I’m dominating you.’
“He held my arms, pulled me in and tried to kiss me on the mouth. I form of moved my head so he might solely kiss me on the cheek. I used to be carrying my Fulham tracksuit and simply felt sweat immediately on the again of my neck. Simply so uncomfortable, immediately.”
After detailing at size the method of being summoned again to the Harrods constructing once more, she added: “This time he groped me. He groped my breast. He form of had his hand on my face and he moved it down and he form of touched me on my breast and form of moved his hand all the way down to my waist.”
In an announcement, Fulham mentioned: “The membership is profoundly troubled to study of the experiences informed in the present day by former ladies’s group captain Ronnie Gibbons. She has our deepest empathy and assist.
“We proceed to emphasize our absolute condemnation of abuse in all types. We stay within the course of of building whether or not anybody on the membership is or would have been impacted by Mohamed Al Fayed in any method as described in latest experiences.
“Ought to any individual want to share data or experiences associated to this matter, we urge them to contact the police or the membership at safeguarding@fulhamfc.com”.
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