Former Fulham women’s team captain accuses Mohamed Al Fayed of sexual assault | Fulham

Ronnie Gibbons, a former captain of Fulham’s women’s team, has claimed she was sexually abused in 2000 by Mohamed Al Fayed, the club’s late owner.

Gibbons, who would have been 20 at the time, said she was forcibly kissed and groped by Fayed, who owned Fulham between 1997 and 2013 and died in 2023, and twice felt trapped in a room.

On October 11, the Metropolitan Police confirmed it was investigating 40 new allegations, including rape and sexual assault, relating to Fayed dating back to 1979, after a BBC documentary about the former Harrods owner was broadcast. They add to allegations related to 21 women reported to police between 2005 and 2023.

Gibbons, who was part of the Fulham squad that won a domestic treble in 2003 and played at international level for the Republic of Ireland, told Athletic: “Speaking my truth and finally telling my story will hopefully help me heal and to get rid of the shame, embarrassment and pain that I have carried with me for years. If this can help someone open up and realize it’s not your fault and be freed from the same burdens, then I’m happy.”

Gibbons, now 44, is the first former Fulham footballer to publicly outline the allegations against Fayed. A statement from the Justice for Harrods Survivors group said: “What former Fulham captain Ronnie Gibbons endured at the hands of Mohamed Al Fayed is another horrific example of the egregious abuse meted out by the companies he owned , supported and favored.”

“We salute our client’s bravery and are proud to stand up for Ronnie and others in Fulham seeking justice. We will do everything in our power to expose the abuse, regardless of where it occurred or who committed it, including those who enabled Al Fayed’s abhorrent behavior.”

Gibbons described the first of two incidents in which she felt trapped in a room at Harrods department store in London: “He pulled me close and tried to kiss me on the mouth. His arms held my arms. It was a real controlling attitude, like “I dominate you.”

“He held my arms, pulled me close and tried to kiss me on the mouth. I somehow moved my head so he could only kiss me on the cheek. I was wearing my Fulham tracksuit and immediately felt the sweat on the back of my neck. Immediately just so uncomfortable.”

After detailing the process of being summoned back to Harrods again, she added: “This time he groped me. He felt my breast. He kind of had his hand on my face and he moved it down and he kind of touched me on my chest and kind of moved his hand down to my waist.”

In a statement, Fulham said: “The club is deeply disturbed by the experiences described today by former women’s team captain Ronnie Gibbons. “They have our deepest sympathy and support.

“We continue to emphasize our absolute condemnation of abuse in any form. We are continuing to establish whether anyone at the club is or would have been affected in any way by Mohamed Al Fayed, as detailed in recent reports.

“If anyone would like to share any information or experiences relating to this matter, we urge them to contact police or the club at [email protected].”