Oct 18, 2024, 10:35 AM ET
The former captain of Fulham‘s women’s team, Ronnie Gibbons, says she was sexually assaulted on two occasions by the late Mohamed Al Fayed when he owned the club.
Speaking to The Athletic, Gibbons said in a story published Friday that the former Harrods owner tried to “forcefully” kiss her and groped her at his department store in 2000, when she was 20.
“The club is profoundly troubled to learn of the experiences told today by former Women’s Team captain, Ronnie Gibbons,” Fulham said in a statement. “She has our deepest empathy and support.”
Fulham are investigating amid rape allegations against ex-owner Mohamed Al Fayed. Daniel Hambury/PA Images via Getty Images
Earlier this month, police in London said that 40 women have made allegations of rape or sexual assault against Al Fayed since the BBC broadcast claims by several former Harrods employees. They are in addition to the 21 women who went to the police between 2005 and 2023 with sex crime allegations against the businessman. He was never prosecuted and died last year aged 94.
“We continue to stress our absolute condemnation of abuse in all forms,” Fulham said. “We remain in the process of establishing whether anyone at the club is or would have been impacted by Mohamed Al Fayed in any manner as described in recent reports.”
Al Fayed owned Fulham between 1997 and 2013.
Gibbons told The Athletic she was twice summoned to Al Fayed’s office above Harrods on the pretext that she would speak about football to his children, who were not there when she showed up.
She said that Al Fayed made her sit on his lap, stroked her knee and forcefully kissed her on the lips as she tried to go away during her first visit.
“I just remember feeling sick, just really physically feeling sick, when I left there,” she recalled.
When she was asked to return to Harrods, she said that he kissed and then groped her, running his hand down from her face to her waist.
“Speaking my truth and finally telling my story will hopefully help me heal and be rid of the shame, embarrassment and pain I have carried for years,” said Gibbons, who played for Ireland at international level. “If this can help one person open up and realise it’s not your fault and be free of the same burdens, then I’ll be happy.”
