French Club Montpellier Deny ‘particularly Serious’ Mary Fowler Racism Claims

Montpellier has rejected allegations by Mary Fowler she received racist curen while playing astatine nan French club, denying she ever received bananas and reiterating its committedness to combating discrimination.

The Australian wrote successful her memoir Bloom that successful 2022 while different players leaving nan nine had received flowers, she and different achromatic teammate received nothing, and they were subsequently given bananas by a teammate successful nan dressing room.

Montpellier issued a connection successful French saying nan nine was shocked to perceive of nan accusations, immoderate of which were “particularly serious” and “the resulting oversimplification, which portrays nan nine arsenic a racist entity, is unacceptable”.

The nine provided its ain relationship of nan matters successful question, which it described arsenic “unambiguous”.

“On June 1, 2022, nan women’s squad played their last location lucifer against Bordeaux. At nan extremity of nan match, arsenic had been nan civilization for respective seasons, 2 players whose contracts had expired and who had conscionable worn nan club’s colours for nan past clip were honoured pinch a bouquet of flowers.

“This is neither nan business of Mary Fowler nor that of nan teammate mentioned successful her book, some of whom were still nether statement pinch nan nine until 30/06/2023 and to whom it would truthful person been alternatively insensitive for nan nine to connection a ‘farewell gift’.”

In her book, Fowler said it was “quite good known” that she and her teammate would beryllium leaving. “It wasn’t a concealed that we weren’t happy there, truthful if thing it would’ve shocked group if we had re-signed,” she wrote.

The nine besides investigated nan alleged incident that occurred successful nan dressing room. It said aft consulting pinch group who were coming that day, nary grounds was recovered to corroborate Fowler’s claims.

“Had specified incidents been reported and substantiated, nan nine would person taken each basal measures instantly upon being notified,” nan nine said.

“Racism is simply a superior rumor that cannot beryllium exploited. The nine wishes to reiterate its ongoing committedness to combating each forms of discrimination.”