‘Facts Are Not Clear,’ Brazil Coach on Neymar’s Rape Accusation
The scandal erupted in June when local media published that a Brazilian woman had filed a case with the police.
The coach of the Brazilian national football team, Tite, said on Monday, 3 June, he would "not judge" the sexual assault allegations levelled against his star player Neymar, which the Paris Saint-Germain forward says are an attempt to blackmail him.
"I understand the seriousness of the issue," he said. "But there must be time for people to be able weigh the facts."
"I'm not going to let myself judge the facts," the coach said at the Brazilian squad's training center outside Rio, where they are preparing for the upcoming Copa America tournament.
The team is above all of that, he added.
‘Neymar Is an Extraordinary Player’
"In the three years I have been dealing with Neymar, all the personal issues we have dealt with have been fair and truthful," he said.
"Neymar is an extraordinary player," Tite said.
"From a technical point of view, he is indispensible," although he added that did not mean he was "irreplaceable."
The scandal erupted on 1 June when local media published accusations that a Brazilian woman had filed with the Sao Paulo police, accusing the 27-year-old football star Neymar of forcing her into a non-consensual sexual relationship after meeting her on Instagram and inviting her to visit him in a Paris hotel in May.
Details of the Case Confidential
Sao Paulo police have confirmed that the accusations had been filed but said the details of the case were confidential.
Neymar is training in Teresopolis with his teammates for the tournament which will take place in Brazil from 14 June to 7 July. On 5 June, the five-time world champions will play a friendly in the capital Brasilia against Qatar.
As well as facing accusations of rape in Sao Paulo, Neymar will be investigated by police in Rio de Janeiro for releasing a video featuring a series of WhatsApp chats and intimate photos of his accuser in an attempt to clear his name.
The footballer did not show her face or reveal her name, but such revelations are banned under Brazilian law.
A police car was spotted entering the training facility towards noon on Monday as Tite was making his appearance before the media.
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