Former captain of the Fulham Ladies, Ronnie Gibbons, has made serious allegations against the late owner of Fulham Football Club, Mohamed Al Fayed.
Claiming that she was sexually assaulted twice by Al Fayed, Gibbons has taken an important step by waiving her anonymity to bring these troubling experiences to light.
During a recent interview, she described the emotional turmoil that kept her from speaking out earlier due to her concerns for the team’s future.
Gibbons, who led the women’s squad during the 2000-01 season, expressed feeling a significant responsibility toward her teammates.
In her words, “I was used. I just felt a huge responsibility on my shoulders because we had just turned professional.”
Gibbons detailed how attempts to report the abuse could have jeopardized the stability of the women’s team.
The Justice For Harrods Survivors group praised Gibbons for her bravery and emphasized their commitment to uncovering abuse within Al Fayed’s businesses.
Fulham Football Club released a statement condemning all forms of abuse and stated they are investigating whether anyone at the club has been affected by Al Fayed’s actions.
Current Fulham manager Marco Silva expressed empathy for Gibbons and stated that the club is not hiding from these issues.
The Metropolitan Police are also investigating 40 new allegations against Al Fayed, including rape and sexual assault, from 1979 to 2013, following a recent BBC investigation.
Article updated 8 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
