NEW DELHI: Fulham football team’s female players were “protected” from the club’s late billionaire owner after the staff became aware of his interest in ‘young, blond girls’, said Gaute Haugenes, the former manager of team from 2001 to 2003, and added that the allegations did not come as “the biggest surprise.”
Haugenes recently spoke to the BBC about the club’s late owner Mohamed Al Fayed and revealed that the staff members took steps to ensure that “situations couldn’t occur” and that they “protected the players”.
These revelations come in the wake of a BBC documentary, “Al Fayed: Predator At Harrods”, which aired on Thursday night. In the documentary, more than 20 women who had worked at Harrods came forward with allegations of assault and physical violence by Fayed at properties in London and Paris.
Five women have alleged that they were raped by Fayed, while others have alleged sexual misconduct took place while they worked at the luxury department store, which was previously owned by Fayed.
Fulham, the football club bought by Fayed in 1997, is currently trying to establish whether any of its staff members have been affected by the alleged misconduct. The club has urged individuals with experiences or information related to the allegations to contact them or the police.
Meanwhile today, a legal team representing women alleging rape and sexual assault said it received over 150 new enquiries, including from women accusing the former Harrods owner.
The legal team representing 37 women accusing Fayed of sexual abuse confirmed to AFP that new inquiries had been received, which included a “mix of survivors and individuals with evidence” about Fayed. The allegations involve girls as young as 15 and 16 at the time of the alleged assault, with lawyers comparing the scale and nature of the case to claims made against disgraced individuals like Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.
Over a span of 25 years, the legal team is bringing claims against Harrods for facilitating the “systematic abuse” of its employees, many of whom were hired as Fayed’s personal assistants and secretaries. The accusers allege that assaults occurred at Fayed’s apartments in London, residences in Paris, and during trips abroad, ranging from Saint-Tropez to Abu Dhabi.
Harrods, which Fayed sold in 2010, expressed its utter appalment at the allegations and confirmed that it had also received new inquiries following the BBC investigation. The department store’s website now features a form for victims to complete, stating that it has an “established process” for those affected to seek compensation.
Additionally, the legal team disclosed that they are also representing women who were employed by the Ritz hotel, another property previously owned by the mogul.
A spokesperson for Fulham expressed the club’s deep concern and empathy for the women who have shared their experiences, stating, “We are in the process of establishing whether anyone at the club is or has been affected. Should any person wish to share information or experiences relating to these allegations, we encourage them to contact the club at safeguarding@fulhamfc.com or the police.”
At a news conference on Friday, lawyers representing Fayed’s accusers expressed their suspicion that there may be more victims from other places where Fayed worked. Barrister Maria Mulla stated, “Wherever he went, there will be victims.” Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, had also owned the Ritz in Paris since 1979 and sold Harrods in 2010.

Late billionaire and former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed has been accused of sexual assault, including rape, by five former female employees.
A new BBC documentary and podcast titled “Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods,” detailed the alleged experiences of more than 20 women, with five claiming that the billonaire assaulted them.
The alleged incidents took place in various locations, such as London, Paris, St Tropez, and Abu Dhabi.
The podcast alleged that Harrods not only failed to protect its employees but also played a role in covering up the allegations. The current owner of Harrods has expressed horror at these revelations and apologized sincerely to the victims.
Bruce Drummond, a barrister representing several of the women, described Al Fayed’s tenure as a “spider’s web of corruption and abuse.” Several women, some of whom remain anonymous, shared their traumatic experiences of sexual abuse at the hands of Al Fayed.
The allegations span decades and come from women who worked at Harrods during Al Fayed’s ownership from 1985 to 2010. These employees, including personal assistants and sales staff, claim that Al Fayed used his power and influence to manipulate and assault them.
According to their testimonies as documented by BBC, Al Fayed would often promote young, attractive female employees to work in his offices, only to subject them to sexual abuse. Many of these assaults allegedly took place in Harrods’ offices, Al Fayed’s Park Lane apartment, or on trips abroad to locations like the Ritz hotel in Paris and his Villa Windsor property.
Al Fayed’s association with the British royal family began when he acquired Harrods in 1985 and attempted to curry favor with its members. He relentlessly pursued a relationship with the royals, most notably Princess Diana.
Dodi Fayed, Al Fayed’s son, became world-famous following his alleged romance with Princess Diana in the 1990s. Their relationship came to a tragic end on August 31, 1997, when both Dodi and Princess Diana were killed in a car crash in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi.
Despite owning Harrods and his association with Princess Diana through Dodi, there is no evidence of any meaningful relationship between him and Queen Elizabeth II.
Mohamed Al Fayed died on August 30, 2023, at the age of 94. Harrods’ current owners, who have been settling claims with Al Fayed’s victims, issued an apology and condemned the actions of the former owner.