Brazil coach Tite refuses to judge Neymar after rape accusation

World
Europe

The coach of the Brazilian national soccer team, Tite, said Monday he would "not judge" the sexual assault allegations leveled 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 to 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 facts are not sufficiently clear. Only time will give us answers," Tite said, fielding numerous questions about the accusations made over the weekend. "The team is above all of that," he added.

"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 indispensable," although he added that did not mean he was "irreplaceable."

Coach Tite speaks to Neymar (L) during the Brazilian national squad's training session in Teresopolis, Brazil, June 1, 2019. /VCG Photo

The scandal erupted on Saturday when local media published accusations that a Brazilian woman had filed with the Sao Paulo police, accusing the 27-year-old soccer 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.

Sao Paulo police have confirmed that the accusations had been filed but said the details of the case were confidential.

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.

Neymar 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 toward noon on Monday as Tite was making his appearance before the media.

But the Brazilian soccer federation has asked the police to postpone the date for Neymar to appear in person to provide a statement.

Source(s): AFP