Cape Verde’s World Cup captain has been accused of hurting the team’s translator.
Cape Verde captain Ryan Mendes has been accused of raping a woman who worked as the team’s translator during a recent trip. Mendes, 36, is said to have sexually assaulted a Brazilian woman hired to help with translation during the team’s visit to New Zealand in March.
The incident reportedly happened at a hotel in Auckland, where the Cape Verde team was staying. According to the Brazilian news outlet Globo, the woman—who has chosen to stay anonymous—was working for Cape Verde during the FIFA Series earlier this year. She says she was attacked after being invited to a meeting in a hotel room following a match against Chile on March 27.
When she arrived, she realized it was more of a social gathering and tried to leave. The woman claims Mendes followed her back to her hotel room and forced his way in after knocking. A statement to New Zealand police, shared by Globo, says Mendes then choked, punched, bit, and raped her.
Afterward, she took photos showing bruises on her neck, which were shared with the Brazilian outlet. She also went to a clinic for sexual violence survivors for treatment, where a forensic exam found bruises on her neck, breasts, lips, and two painful lesions in her genital area. These exam results were sent to New Zealand police on April 10.
The woman also says she reported the attack to at least three officials from Cape Verde’s football authority but didn’t get any response. On May 10, she and her husband sent complaints to the Cape Verde Football Federation and FIFA, including the medical report as proof. They asked for Mendes to be banned from the World Cup, but say they haven’t heard back from FIFA.
A FIFA spokesperson told SPORTbible that they’re in touch with New Zealand authorities but can’t say more right now. “FIFA takes any claim of wrongdoing very seriously and has clear steps in place for anyone in football to report an incident,” the spokesperson added.
SPORTbible has also reached out to FIFA, the Cape Verde Football Association, and New Zealand police for comment.