Kylian Mbappe’s representatives deny reports of rape allegations

The player’s representatives said on Tuesday that the rape allegations against France captain and Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe were “completely false” and a “slanderous rumour”, following media reports that he was under investigation over an incident that occurred in a Stockholm hotel on Tuesday. Thursday.

Swedish prosecutors confirmed in a statement in response to the media coverage that an investigation had been opened into an alleged rape at a hotel in central Stockholm, but they did not identify the suspect.

Swedish public broadcaster SVT and newspapers Expressen and Aftonbladet, citing unnamed sources, reported that Mbappe, 25, was a suspect in the case.

“A new slanderous rumor has begun to set the web on fire,” said a statement sent to Reuters by Mbappe’s representatives at public relations firm Patricia Goldman. He added, “These accusations are completely false and irresponsible, and their publication is unacceptable.”

He added: “Kylian Mbappe will not, under any circumstances, tolerate his integrity, reputation and honor being compromised by baseless insinuations.”

“We don’t know who the complaint is against him, and I don’t know if the complaint targets him,” Mbappe’s lawyer, Marie-Alex Cano-Bernard, told French television channel TF1 on Tuesday.

“He is never alone, and has never been in a risky situation. This completely rules out that there could have been any reprehensible behavior on his part. It is an absolute certainty. He is calm but amazed by the media madness. He does not understand what could possibly be scolds him.

“He did nothing wrong,” Cano Bernard said, adding that Mbappe would cooperate with the Swedish judicial system if he was directly targeted by the investigation.

Mbappé posted a link to a French media story on the subject on the X website and wrote: “Fake news!!!!”

Swedish media reported that Mbappe was on a private trip to the capital of the Nordic country last week with a group of friends.

Mbappe and his friends left Sweden on Friday. Expressen and Aftonbladet reported that an unidentified victim filed a report about the allegation against Mbappé to police the following day.

“In response to media reports about a suspected rape in Stockholm, the public prosecutor can confirm that a criminal report has been submitted to the police,” the Swedish Prosecution Authority said in a statement on Tuesday.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the identity of the victim nor the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault.

Prosecutor Marina Shirakova declined to comment further when contacted by Reuters.

SVT and Expressen, citing unnamed sources, reported that the level of suspicion directed at Mbappe by investigators was “reasonable” – the lowest of the two levels in the Swedish legal system. The highest level, “probable suspicion,” is usually required to detain a suspect.

Mbappe trained with his Real Madrid teammates on Tuesday. The club did not immediately respond when asked whether it was aware of the investigation and whether the Swedish authorities had contacted it.