French footballer Benjamin Mendy, acquitted last year of charges of rape and sexual assault, has won his case against Manchester City, who will have to pay him back wages.
French footballer Benjamin Mendy, acquitted last year of rape and sexual assault charges, won his trial on Wednesday in the United Kingdom against his former club Manchester City and is expected to receive the majority of the 11.5 million pounds awarded. salary arrears claimed.
The ex-international demanded the equivalent of 13.8 million euros from City, who stopped paying him between his indictment and his placement in pre-trial detention, in August 2021, and the end of his contract, in June 2023.
Benjamin Mendy, 30, who now plays in France for FC Lorient, in Ligue 2, is “authorized to recover part but not all of the sums claimed”, ruled an employment tribunal in Manchester.
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Five months in detention
The footballer, who earned £500,000 a month when he played for City, had spent around five months in detention out of the 22 months covered by his request. He is expected to receive around £8.5million, an amount which has yet to be approved by his lawyers and the club.
When not on remand, Benjamin Mendy was “ready and willing” to work but was “prevented from doing so”, Judge Joanne Dunlop said.
“In these circumstances, and in the absence of any authorization in the contract for the employer to withhold wages, he was entitled to be paid,” she added.
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“Turn the page”
Benjamin Mendy welcomed this judgment on X. “After three years of waiting, I sincerely hope that the club will now act honorably by paying the amounts due, (…) so that I can finally turn the page on this painful period of my life,” he said. he reacted.
In January 2023, a court acquitted Benjamin Mendy of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. In July of that year, he was cleared of a seventh count of rape as well as a charge of attempted rape.
In October, at the employment tribunal, the footballer said he had to borrow money from former teammates to meet his legal costs and pay his alimony.
“At no time did Manchester City apologize to me, or even acknowledge that their actions cost me almost everything,” the player criticized.
The club stopped paying him his salary after his indictment, arguing that the judicial review accompanying the measure as well as his suspension by the English Football Federation no longer allowed him to exercise his profession as a footballer.
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