Ligue 1 club FC Lorient has initiated legal action for defamation following the display of posters placed around the Moustoir stadium targeting their recent acquisition, Benjamin Mendy.
“We want B. Mendy and all other rapists and attackers excluded from the clubs, justice to be served,” the collective opposing the recruitment of the 2018 World Cup champion by the Merlus had written. “We also want the world of football and sports in general to shed light on the facts and clean up their ranks. No more impunity,” claimed the “Collectif2Lorient” in a statement obtained by RMC Sport, after putting up posters on Friday night to denounce Benjamin Mendy’s arrival in Lorient.
These actions and statements evidently did not sit well with the Lorient club, which has decided to file a complaint, as reported by RMC Sport this Tuesday morning. The posters in question were all removed from around the stadium on Saturday afternoon, just before the match against Nice (1-1). However, the club intends to follow through to discourage such actions. It is worth noting that the slogans also targeted Wissam Ben Yedder and Achraf Akimi, both of whom are under investigation for rape.
As a reminder, Benjamin Mendy had been accused by seven women in England of rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault. However, he was found not guilty after two highly-publicized trials. The latest of these trials concluded last month.
