Fulham 'protected' women's players from Al Fayed

A erstwhile head of Fulham's women's squad says other precautions were put successful spot to protect female players from nan club’s precocious proprietor Mohamed Al Fayed.

Gaute Haugenes, who managed nan squad from 2001 to 2003, told nan BBC that members of unit became alert that nan precocious billionaire "liked young, blonde girls".

He said that arsenic a consequence players were not allowed to beryllium near unsocial pinch Al Fayed, who owned nan nine for 16 years.

On Friday, nan Cottagers issued a connection saying they were "deeply troubled and concerned" by nan "disturbing" reports astir Al Fayed during his clip arsenic proprietor of Harrods.

In a BBC documentary, which aired connected Thursday, several women accused Al Fayed of raping them erstwhile they worked astatine nan luxury London section store.

Lawyers representing Al Fayed's accusers told a news convention successful London connected Friday it was "unlikely" location were not much alleged victims.

"We don't astatine this shape correspond immoderate women who, for instance, sustained immoderate attacks astatine Fulham Football Club but our investigations are evidently ongoing into each of these entities that he had an engagement in," barrister Maria Mulla said.

"It's highly improbable that location are not victims retired location from these different places of work. Wherever he went, location will beryllium victims."

Fulham said they were trying to found whether anyone astatine nan nine had been affected, encouraging group to travel guardant to its safeguarding section aliases nan police.

"I publication each nan newspapers yesterday of people and to beryllium honorable it's not nan biggest surprise," Haugenes said.

"We were alert he liked young, blonde girls. So we conscionable made judge that situations couldn't occur. We protected nan players."

Al Fayed bought Fulham for a reported £30m successful 1997.

During his tenure arsenic owner, nan men's squad roseate from nan 3rd tier of English shot to nan Premier League.

He backed a move to make nan women's squad afloat master successful 2000, nan first broadside successful Europe to do so, but they were downgraded to semi-professional successful 2003 and backing was withdrawn successful 2006.

Haugenes besides said that he was paid by Harrods, alternatively than Fulham, during his clip astatine nan club.

"When nan payslip came from Harrods it was rather strange. Also, nan statement said that they could put maine successful nan nutrient shop successful Dublin if that was what I wanted. It would ne'er person happened today," he said.

In response, Fulham referred to their earlier statement, which said: "We are profoundly troubled and concerned to study of nan disturbing reports pursuing yesterday's documentary. We person sincere empathy for nan women who person shared their experiences.

"We are successful nan process of establishing whether anyone astatine nan nine is, aliases has been, affected.

"Should immoderate personification wish to stock accusation aliases experiences relating to these allegations, we promote them to interaction nan nine astatine safeguarding@fulhamfc.com aliases nan police."