Brazilian soccer star Neymar denies rape allegation, claims extortion

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Soccer star Neymar poses at the launch of his new Diesel perfume fragrance "Spirit Of The Brave" at a party in Paris, France, May 21, 2019.

Brazil soccer star Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, commonly known as Neymar Jr. or simply Neymar, has denied an accusation of rape, outlined in a police report seen by Reuters, in which an unnamed woman alleges that the sports star drunkenly assaulted her at an up-market hotel in the French capital.

Sao Paulo state’s public security ministry released a statement confirming the accusation had been made, and said the investigation was still sealed, without giving further details. The police report was obtained by several news organizations including Reuters.
 

The accusation represents a fresh blow for the Brazilian, who has seen his international reputation suffer amid incidents of indiscipline.

Neymar posted a long video on his Instagram page, in which he denied all the accusations against him, claimed to be a victim of extortion, lamented the pain caused to him and his family, and shared WhatsApp messages with the alleged victim, including racy photos she sent him.

“I’m being accused of rape,” he says in the video. “Whoever knows me, knows of my character and my nature, and knows that I would never do a thing like that … What happened is exactly the opposite of what they’re saying.”

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His representatives directed Reuters to their official statement, accusing a Sao Paulo lawyer purportedly representing the victim of trying to extort the soccer star. Reuters was unable to determine the identity of the lawyer or to seek comment on the extortion allegation.

“Faced with this unfortunate, illegal and outrageous event, we completely repudiate the unjust accusations and, above all, the exposure in the press of an extremely negative situation,” the statement said. “All evidence of attempted extortion and non-rape shall be submitted to police in a timely manner.”

Neymar‘s father, Neymar Sr., said earlier in a local TV interview that his son needed to move quickly to clean his name or risk the situation snowballing.

“If we have to show Neymar‘s WhatsApps and the conversations with this girl, we will, because it is clear that it was a trap,” he said, adding they were living “difficult moments.”