Investigator Paulo Sartori of Rio's cybercrime police division confirmed to The Associated Press that two of his agents on Monday visited Brazil's training ground, where the team is preparing for the Copa America.
Neymar
Rio de Janeiro's cybercrime police division wants Neymar to testify about a video he published with messages and images allegedly exchanged with the woman who accuses him of raping her in a Paris hotel.
This Is Neymar JR Explaining In English The Whole Situation With The Rape Accusation. pic.twitter.com/ecaw976Urc
— JMBMEDIA (@jeffmanmedia) June 2, 2019
ADVERTISEMENT
The police interview has yet to be scheduled.
Investigator Paulo Sartori of Rio's cybercrime police division confirmed to The Associated Press that two of his agents on Monday visited Brazil's training ground, where the team is preparing for the Copa America.
The rape investigation is conducted separately by the Sao Paulo state police.
After the first reports of the rape allegation on Saturday, Neymar published a seven-minute Instagram video in which he denied any wrongdoing and showed messages and images he says were exchanged with his accuser. Images of the unidentified woman, some of them blurred because of sexual content, also appeared.
The two policemen did not talk to journalists.
Vinicius Rodrigues, a spokesman for the Brazilian Football Confederation said, "the CBF suggested that it (Neymar's testimony to Rio police) be postponed."
Brazil plays friendlies against Qatar on Wednesday and against Honduras on Sunday. It opens the Copa America on June 14 against Bolivia in Sao Paulo.
The woman told Sao Paulo police on Friday that Neymar raped her on May 15 at 8:20 p.m. at the Sofitel Paris Arc De Triomphe hotel.
Earlier on Monday, a spokeswoman for Instagram said the social media channel removed the video posted by Neymar for violating its rules.
Neymar's father and agent said his son should not regret posting the video, even if it means being prosecuted for revealing images of a private conversation.
"I prefer an internet crime than a rape crime," Neymar da Silva Santos told TV Band.
"He preserved his image, his name. He needed to defend himself quickly. It is best to be true and show what happened. We knew of the blackmailing, but not of the guts to go to police in a situation like this."
Santos insisted Neymar was set up by the unidentified woman. He said the player noticed something was wrong on the second day of their meeting in Paris.
"She wanted him to go to the hotel again. He went and stayed for 10 minutes. He saw a cellphone against the wall, recharging. But then he noticed it was filming. She sent a message saying she has that video. She attacks him, he jumps to the bed and tries to calm her down. Asks her not to create a mess," the father-agent said.
"He then calms her down, leaves the hotel and asks for her return ticket. Neymar also tried to film the conversation, but couldn't. After that second day they didn't speak. She sent the threatening messages later."
Neymar's father, and the player's spokeswoman, Day Crespo, said they don't know when the player will speak to police.
The rape allegation against Neymar also dominated Brazil coach Tite's news conference on Monday, his first since the accusation was revealed.
Eighteen of the 25 questions were about Neymar.
"I know this is a personal matter and there needs to be time for people to judge the facts. I won't allow myself to judge the facts," Tite said.
"What I can say to you is that I've been with Neymar for three years and in personal matters, between me and him, he is loyal and truthful."
National team coordinator Edu Gaspar confirmed another police investigator visited the team's training ground on Saturday to get information on the case.
"The first thing I did was to get some legal help," Gaspar said.
"The idea is that the legal help is here to solve the case as quickly as possible so the athlete can be with a cool head for Copa America."
Gaspar also said Neymar will be released from training and matches whenever needed. The Copa America, being played in Brazil, runs from June 14 to July 7.
"The suggestion I have is that he is available as much as possible to respond to (police) requests," Gaspar said.
The two agents of Rio's cybercrimes division left 15 minutes after the end of the news conference.
Twitter reacted in the craziest ways to the scandal, have a look:
Neymar playing no games lmao he dropped the conversations he had with the girl u00f0u009fu0098u0082 pic.twitter.com/JZiOQKl4wj
— R. (@RakaelAlvarez) June 2, 2019
Police in Brazil are investigating a video by football star Neymar, after he revealed private communications between him and a woman accussing him of rape. The PSG striker could face up to 5 years in a Brazil jail, for publishing the content pic.twitter.com/qRn9bz19fC
— BFM News (@NewsBFM) June 3, 2019
Wait, so messages and videos doesn't prove Neymar is innocent, but... The girl's word proves he's guilty? Ah!!! E no go better for una
— Jermaine Olusola (@A_AJIMUTABA) June 2, 2019
Neymar whatsapp just proved him innocent in a rape accusation case. If guilty, his life would have been destroyed. But now the accuser, walks away free and unbothered.This double standards crap is BS. Accusers need to face the same penalty as rapists if found lying #neymarvideo pic.twitter.com/69C0BmR8QI
— king u00f0u009fu00a6u0081 (@preyor_david) June 3, 2019
I hope Neymar set an example on how celebrities should handle false rape accusations. Make a short video explaining your innocence and then post evidence. This is done now
— Luccas (@txgliaficoo) June 2, 2019
Me opening #Neymar’s prints of his conversation with the girl pic.twitter.com/avc50ML4lS
— Bia Trigo u00f0u009fu0087u00a7u00f0u009fu0087u00b7 (@itsbiatrigo) June 2, 2019
You have to give it to Neymar, publicly answering the accusations in a video so shortly after, with evidence and screenvideo, even tho it shows very private (and embarrassing),details about him, sexting, talking about being drunk etc. Great way to clean his name.
— André Noruega (@AndreOstgaard) June 2, 2019
Catch up on all the latest IPL News and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
