LONDON — Ronnie Gibbons, the former captain of the Fulham women’s team, has come forward with allegations of sexual assault against the late Mohamed Al Fayed during his ownership of the club. In a revealing interview with The Athletic, Gibbons shared her experiences, stating that Al Fayed attempted to forcibly kiss her and groped her while she was at his Harrods department store in 2000, when she was just 20 years old.
Fulham expressed deep concern over Gibbons’ revelations, stating in a press release, “The club is profoundly troubled to learn of the experiences told today by former Women’s Team captain, Ronnie Gibbons. She has our deepest empathy and support.” The club emphasized its commitment to addressing the serious issue of abuse in all its forms.
In recent developments, the London police disclosed that 40 women have come forward with claims of rape or sexual assault against Al Fayed. This came on the heels of allegations made by former Harrods employees on a BBC broadcast. Prior to this, an additional 21 women had reported sex crimes attributed to him to the police between 2005 and 2023. Despite these allegations, Al Fayed was never charged before his passing last year at the age of 94.
Fulham reiterated its strong stance against abuse, stating, “We continue to stress our absolute condemnation of abuse in all forms. 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 held ownership of Fulham from 1997 until 2013.
During her conversation with The Athletic, Gibbons recounted being called to Al Fayed’s office under the guise of discussing soccer with his children, who were absent at the time. On her initial visit, she described a disturbing encounter where Al Fayed insisted she sit on his lap, stroked her leg, and kissed her against her will as she attempted to retreat from the uncomfortable situation.
“I just remember feeling sick, just really physically feeling sick, when I left there,” Gibbons reflected on the experience. On her subsequent visit to Harrods, she alleges that Al Fayed again kissed her and groped her, moving his hand from her face to her waist.
Gibbons hopes that sharing her story will facilitate her healing and help alleviate the shame and pain she has carried for many years. “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,” she commented. “If this can help one person open up and realize it’s not your fault and be free of the same burdens, then I’ll be happy.”