what we know about the rape investigation relayed by the Swedish tabloids – Libération

Kylian Mbappé’s visit to Sweden last week, while the France team was playing against Israel, continues to be talked about, for a subject much more serious than the sporting controversy concerning the ability or not of the player to join the Blues. According to information from the Swedish tabloid The Expresspartly confirmed by its competitor The evening paperthe French star would be the target of a complaint for “rape and sexual assault” committed Thursday October 10 in Stockholm. The Real Madrid player denies and shouts at «fake news», pointing to his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, as a potential instigator, with whom he is in dispute. Liberation takes stock of what we know about this affair.

What was Kylian Mbappé doing in Stockholm?

Mbappé’s trip to Stockholm was already extensively documented last week, with the escapade causing controversy after the Blues captain was excused from meeting with the France team, officially to treat a thigh injury. According to information from the local press, the footballer arrived on Tuesday October 8 and left on Friday October 11 in the morning aboard a private jet. He stayed at the Bank Hotel, a luxury establishment in the Swedish capital, with members of his entourage.

During his stay, Kylian Mbappé frequented several establishments in the Swedish capital, including a restaurant and a nightclub. According to The evening paperMbappé was on Thursday evening, October 10, with his entourage at the restaurant Chez Jolie, an establishment in the Swedish capital. He was photographed leaving this establishment in the company of three people: his bodyguard, his personal assistant and his ex-PSG teammate Nordi Mukiele, who is playing this season in Leverkusen. The images show that the footballer had taken every precaution to remain discreet, wearing a surgical mask on his face, as well as a hat.

The troupe then joined a club in Stockholm, the “V”. According to information fromThe evening paperthe world champion would have already spent part of the previous night, that of Wednesday October 9 to Thursday October 10, in this nightclub of which he would then have privatized at least part of the premises. Cell phones would have been banned for everyone in his presence, according to information from the Swedish daily The Express.

What do we know about the rape accusation?

Kylian Mbappé is the target of an investigation by the Swedish police for “rape and sexual assault”, said Monday October 14 the daily The Express. According to the Swedish newspaper, the French striker is considered “reasonably suspicious” in this investigation, i.e. the lowest level of suspicion provided for by Swedish law. Earlier today, another Swedish daily, The evening paperargued that an investigation into rape had been opened, without mentioning the person targeted. According to photos published by The evening paperthe police were on Monday in front of the hotel where Mbappé and his entourage were staying.

The rape was allegedly committed Thursday, October 10 in the evening “in the center of Stockholm”according to a complaint thatThe evening paper claims to have subsequently consulted, submitted by a woman whose identity is currently unknown. “The police took up the complaint on Saturday after the woman sought treatment”added The evening paper.

“An investigation is underway into a crime that was reported on October 10 in central Stockholm”the prosecutor in charge of the case told AFP without giving further details. Asked if they were aware of a complaint against Mbappé, his entourage responded «non» to the AFP. Also contacted by AFP, the Stockholm police did not wish “neither confirm nor deny” this information. “In general, if we have received a complaint and decided to conduct interviews and we make it known (to the public), those involved in the matter may take steps that delay and complicate the investigation.”explained Carina Skagerlind, spokesperson.

What is the reaction of Kylian Mbappé and his entourage?

After the publication, in the afternoon, of the first article ofThe evening paperthe Real Madrid star reacted on the social network “FAKE NEWS!!!! It becomes so predictable, hearing watch as if by chance”protested the footballer, establishing a link between the article and the hearing scheduled for Tuesday, October 15 before a commission of the Professional Football League (LFP) in the financial dispute between him and Paris Saint-Germain.

The former Parisian striker is demanding 55 million euros in unpaid wages and other bonuses from his former club. Seized by the star striker of the Blues, the LFP legal commission recommended mediation last month but, faced with the player’s refusal, it immediately asked PSG to pay the 55 million within a week, a decision against which PSG appealed.

Faced with the scale that this affair is beginning to take on social networks in France, the player’s entourage was keen to react firmly at the start of the evening. “Today, a new slanderous rumor begins to ignite the web starting from the Swedish media Aftonbladet, he explains in a press release. These accusations are completely false and irresponsible, and their propagation is unacceptable.” “In order to put an end to this methodical destruction of [l’]image [de Kylian Mbappé]all necessary legal actions will be taken to reestablish the truth and pursue any person or media involved in the moral harassment and defamatory treatment that Kylian Mbappé repeatedly suffers,” he warns again.

What do Paris-Saint-Germain and Didier Deschamps say?

Indirectly implicated by the player in his tweet, Paris-SG prefers “ignore it and keep your class and dignity”a source close to the club told AFP. Requested by the newspaper the Team, PSG reacted in these words, half-annoyed and half-ironic: “Honestly, it’s a shame.”

“It’s not a good thing for the France team”for his part regretted the coach Didier Deschamps Monday evening after the victory in Belgium (2-1). “I tell you again, everyone is free to write what they want, but there is a negative environment” around the Blues, Deschamps continued, asking journalists at a press conference: “Be careful when you take things back. It’s better to take a little step back before releasing anything and everything, but it happens so many times…”